The Guardian on Thursday reported the resignation of Lord Lester, Lib Dem adviser to Gordon Brown on Constitutional Reform in Labour's 'Government of all the Talents'.
On the 60th anniversary of the UN Declaration of Human Rights he described Labour's record on Human Rights since the passing of the 1998 Act as "deeply disappointing", saying also that:
[The Govt] could have...accepted the recommendations of the UN human rights treaty bodies,
the joint committee on human rights & NGOs to allow the people of this country the
individual right to petition against the government under the international
covenant on civil & political rights...the UK is alone in the EU in refusing to do so..
The Constitutional Reform package seems also to have been lost in the water. When Brown took over many of us were refreshingly surprised at his apparently forward-thinking measures on changing constititional anomolies.
But yet again this appears to be a Government that says one thing & does another : vaunting civil liberties whilst turning a blind eye to Guantanamo Bay & extraordinary rendition & promoting extended periods of detention without trial; attacking Mugabe's appalling record in Zimbabwe but failing to support a European Force to avert further humanitarian disaster in the Congo becuase they want to wait for UN backing.
When since did this government wait for UN backing ?? .................Strange logic !!
Saturday, 13 December 2008
IT'S NOT UNUSUAL - LABOUR'S DODGY STATISTICS
Today's news about the Home Office massaging statistics on knife crime will only add to public disenchantment about the believability of data. Ever since the Tories so shamelessly redesigned ways of collating the unemployment figures - 24 times I think , at the last count - the British people have been refreshingly dubious about the difference between what is said at a national level & the evidence that we experience in our daily lives.
What is most concerning is the idea that a department of state might decide to design a survey to measure the effect of a policy & when the results still don't add up the way they want to, they will selectively publish the data that appears to show them in a good light: Hospital admissions for knives -27%; Serious knife crime aginst young people -17%; Young Victime sof crime on London -18%. Incidentally some of these figures only began to be recorded for the first time in March of this year - so how it is possible to measure the decrease effectively is unclear to me.
What is most concerning is the idea that a department of state might decide to design a survey to measure the effect of a policy & when the results still don't add up the way they want to, they will selectively publish the data that appears to show them in a good light: Hospital admissions for knives -27%; Serious knife crime aginst young people -17%; Young Victime sof crime on London -18%. Incidentally some of these figures only began to be recorded for the first time in March of this year - so how it is possible to measure the decrease effectively is unclear to me.
Friday, 28 November 2008
Secrecy or Public Interest?
So today a Conservative shadow spokesman, Damien Green has had to endure the ignimony of 9 hours of detention while being interrogated for doing his job - releasing information that the government wanted kept secret, into the public domain , in the public interest.
Now it's not often that I'll support a conservative - but this heavy handedness reeks of yet more surveillance & regulation. An opposition exists (partly) to criticise governmental bad practice. If 5,000 illegal immigrants are working in the security services ( which is one of the items Green is meant to have leaked) then that should be in the public domain.
It's hard enough, as Chris Huhne said on the Today programme this morning to access the information to enable effective opposition - but heavy handedness when it is released is not an appropriate way to treat an elected member of parliament.
Even if the data were a threat to national security, bully boy tactics reveal more about the paranoia of the current administration than about the severity of the information released. It raises a terrible spectre: if a member of parliament can be treated this what lies ahead for the ordinary citizen whose civil liberties have been chipped away to allow detention without trial should he reveal something unexpected that might be considered in a roundabout way to have some vague relation to an issue of national security !!
Now it's not often that I'll support a conservative - but this heavy handedness reeks of yet more surveillance & regulation. An opposition exists (partly) to criticise governmental bad practice. If 5,000 illegal immigrants are working in the security services ( which is one of the items Green is meant to have leaked) then that should be in the public domain.
It's hard enough, as Chris Huhne said on the Today programme this morning to access the information to enable effective opposition - but heavy handedness when it is released is not an appropriate way to treat an elected member of parliament.
Even if the data were a threat to national security, bully boy tactics reveal more about the paranoia of the current administration than about the severity of the information released. It raises a terrible spectre: if a member of parliament can be treated this what lies ahead for the ordinary citizen whose civil liberties have been chipped away to allow detention without trial should he reveal something unexpected that might be considered in a roundabout way to have some vague relation to an issue of national security !!
MISSED OPPORTUNITY FOR SOUTH DORSET - LABOUR FAILS TO GREEN THE ECONOMY
Earlier this week the exec director of Greenpeace noted that the current credit crisis is "an historic opportunity to invest billions in a low-carbon, high-technology future". Dorset is crying out for such investment.
He goes on to add "but the Chancellor blew it !". Both Darling & his opposing number on the Tory front bench have been quick to use the recession to wriggle out of supposed commitments to investment to promote sustainability in such a way as to genuinely beg the question - did they really believe in those measures in the first place ?
Kick starting the Green economy will always seem expensive in the short term - & back-sliding will continue to take place until there is widespread governmental acceptance of a value system which belongs alongside ( and many would say should replace) that of capital: a sustainability value system.
A green restructuring of the economy as proposed by the Lib Dem GREEN TAX SWITCH and our many other green policies, links taxation to despoiling of the environment rather than financial profit & seeks to move us away from the global mentality ,that, expecting something for nothing , chases the fast buck and which creating spiralling debt bubbles for both investors, manufacturers and consumers, is what got us into this mess in the first place.
It also outlines plans to develop the economy, through encouraging development of public transport & the support of small & local enterprise to regenerate rural communities. In South Dorset, with its combination of spectacular environment and low earnings, developing the Green economy is a must.
Easy credit got us into this mess - how can it be trusted to get us out ? In spending to get out of the bust what the government should be investing in is creating new jobs in renewable energy & energy efficiency, & improving the public transport infrastructure (especially the railways).
Instead of nationalising the banks, which seem only too keen to keep their ill-gotten gains to bolster their dwindling resources instead of benefiting the tax-payer, perhaps Darling & Brown would have been better to think of renationalising rail & bus companies. Building extra roads is going to solve neither the economic nor the environmental crisis Gordon !
John Sauven is right - this is a tremendous opportunity. It's one that Obama has recognised. If he can see it - why can't our government ?
He goes on to add "but the Chancellor blew it !". Both Darling & his opposing number on the Tory front bench have been quick to use the recession to wriggle out of supposed commitments to investment to promote sustainability in such a way as to genuinely beg the question - did they really believe in those measures in the first place ?
Kick starting the Green economy will always seem expensive in the short term - & back-sliding will continue to take place until there is widespread governmental acceptance of a value system which belongs alongside ( and many would say should replace) that of capital: a sustainability value system.
A green restructuring of the economy as proposed by the Lib Dem GREEN TAX SWITCH and our many other green policies, links taxation to despoiling of the environment rather than financial profit & seeks to move us away from the global mentality ,that, expecting something for nothing , chases the fast buck and which creating spiralling debt bubbles for both investors, manufacturers and consumers, is what got us into this mess in the first place.
It also outlines plans to develop the economy, through encouraging development of public transport & the support of small & local enterprise to regenerate rural communities. In South Dorset, with its combination of spectacular environment and low earnings, developing the Green economy is a must.
Easy credit got us into this mess - how can it be trusted to get us out ? In spending to get out of the bust what the government should be investing in is creating new jobs in renewable energy & energy efficiency, & improving the public transport infrastructure (especially the railways).
Instead of nationalising the banks, which seem only too keen to keep their ill-gotten gains to bolster their dwindling resources instead of benefiting the tax-payer, perhaps Darling & Brown would have been better to think of renationalising rail & bus companies. Building extra roads is going to solve neither the economic nor the environmental crisis Gordon !
John Sauven is right - this is a tremendous opportunity. It's one that Obama has recognised. If he can see it - why can't our government ?
Wednesday, 19 November 2008
WHAT THE DORSET ECHO WON'T PRINT.
When I spoke to Roger Hayre, postmaster at Buxton Road Post Office in Weymouth yesterday, he informed me that he'd spoken to the Dorset Echo & mentioned both my support & the legal challenge I'd discovered concerning Hastings Post Office under the Disability Discrimination Act. I have been liaiaing with the chambers mounting this challenge & we think at Buxton Road fits into the same category. Here's the article the Echo wouldn't print:
CAMPAIGNERS TO MOUNT CHALLENGE ON POST OFFICE CLOSURE
Buxton Road Post Office in Weymouth is earmarked for closure at the end of February according to a statement from the Post Office today, but local campaigners led by Buxton Road resident Michael Watson & Liberal Democrat prospective parliamentary candidate, Cllr Ros Kayes are campaigning to prevent the closure.
“After talking to Mr Hayre the postmaster about his concerns recently I did a bit of research” said Cllr Kayes, “& discovered that there is currently a case waiting judgement in the High Court, that concerns the Post Office in Hastings. The closure there is being challenged under the Disability Equality Duty which is part of the Disability Discrimination Act. This, I am assured by my contact, who is a barrister at the Chambers that has brought the case, means that organisations have a duty to ensure that they are not unfairly discriminating against disabled members of the community in any policy decisions that they take. In terms of the number of disabled & elderly people in the communities served the Hastings PO is similar to Buxton Road
“The Post Office's criterion for closure is that in urban areas residents should not be more than one mile away from the nearest post office. If you are disabled that mile is much harder to make - especially in Buxton Road, which is very hilly. Mr Hayre's research supports his case strongly - 25% of residents within a kilometre are over 65 & 97% of them have a limiting or lifelong illness. A large proportion of service users are reliant on home help & there are 9 residential establishments for the severely mentally disabled within the near vicinity.
“It is entirely reprehensible for the PO to consider closure of this branch, which is one of the few in the area with its own parking, when 60% of its post office card account holders are disabled. It shows scant regard for the infirm & disabled within the community & I believe there is ample evidence with which to challenge their decision on the basis of discrimination. If the judgement in Hastings goes in favour of the community then we will be mounting a challenge to today’s decision. It’s bad enough to close rural POs many of which are the lynch-pin of their local communities, but to close this one, where there is a very real need is callous in the extreme & we must do everything we can to stop it.”
So Why.......?
So why did the Dorset Echo print a nonentity quote form the tory candidate who quite obviously knew nothing of this latest development, although Roger informs me that he did speak to him some months ago - but obviously decided to take no action as also is the case with the sitting MP ? This post master is hard working & providing a real service to the community. He needs all the support he can get & the action group we are setting up to raise funds for a legal case will make sure he gets it - but the Echo wouldn't print that either, would they !
When I spoke to Roger Hayre, postmaster at Buxton Road Post Office in Weymouth yesterday, he informed me that he'd spoken to the Dorset Echo & mentioned both my support & the legal challenge I'd discovered concerning Hastings Post Office under the Disability Discrimination Act. I have been liaiaing with the chambers mounting this challenge & we think at Buxton Road fits into the same category. Here's the article the Echo wouldn't print:
CAMPAIGNERS TO MOUNT CHALLENGE ON POST OFFICE CLOSURE
Buxton Road Post Office in Weymouth is earmarked for closure at the end of February according to a statement from the Post Office today, but local campaigners led by Buxton Road resident Michael Watson & Liberal Democrat prospective parliamentary candidate, Cllr Ros Kayes are campaigning to prevent the closure.
“After talking to Mr Hayre the postmaster about his concerns recently I did a bit of research” said Cllr Kayes, “& discovered that there is currently a case waiting judgement in the High Court, that concerns the Post Office in Hastings. The closure there is being challenged under the Disability Equality Duty which is part of the Disability Discrimination Act. This, I am assured by my contact, who is a barrister at the Chambers that has brought the case, means that organisations have a duty to ensure that they are not unfairly discriminating against disabled members of the community in any policy decisions that they take. In terms of the number of disabled & elderly people in the communities served the Hastings PO is similar to Buxton Road
“The Post Office's criterion for closure is that in urban areas residents should not be more than one mile away from the nearest post office. If you are disabled that mile is much harder to make - especially in Buxton Road, which is very hilly. Mr Hayre's research supports his case strongly - 25% of residents within a kilometre are over 65 & 97% of them have a limiting or lifelong illness. A large proportion of service users are reliant on home help & there are 9 residential establishments for the severely mentally disabled within the near vicinity.
“It is entirely reprehensible for the PO to consider closure of this branch, which is one of the few in the area with its own parking, when 60% of its post office card account holders are disabled. It shows scant regard for the infirm & disabled within the community & I believe there is ample evidence with which to challenge their decision on the basis of discrimination. If the judgement in Hastings goes in favour of the community then we will be mounting a challenge to today’s decision. It’s bad enough to close rural POs many of which are the lynch-pin of their local communities, but to close this one, where there is a very real need is callous in the extreme & we must do everything we can to stop it.”
So Why.......?
So why did the Dorset Echo print a nonentity quote form the tory candidate who quite obviously knew nothing of this latest development, although Roger informs me that he did speak to him some months ago - but obviously decided to take no action as also is the case with the sitting MP ? This post master is hard working & providing a real service to the community. He needs all the support he can get & the action group we are setting up to raise funds for a legal case will make sure he gets it - but the Echo wouldn't print that either, would they !
Tuesday, 11 November 2008
Schools Fever: Schools' Minister's Anti-Terror Policy
Just a point that concerns me about the current Governments Schools' policies.: turning in the proto - terrorists.
Apparently as teachers, my colleagues & I have to report any student that we think may be susceptible to islamic extremism. Where will this end ? I was at a secondary school in Birmingham with several Fenians - none of them engaged in terrorist activity.
What I'm objecting to is the filing of information (which might well be incorrect) on students, who, let's face it, might just be being a bit gobby with one member of staff because they don't like them, & this then potentially putting them on the terrorist database.
Teachers are always & have always been concerned about the welfare of students & there's plenty of opportunity in the range of lessons taught & in pastoral work to consider these issues with individuals - but reporting them ??? More Big Brother State than genuine student welfare.
Apparently as teachers, my colleagues & I have to report any student that we think may be susceptible to islamic extremism. Where will this end ? I was at a secondary school in Birmingham with several Fenians - none of them engaged in terrorist activity.
What I'm objecting to is the filing of information (which might well be incorrect) on students, who, let's face it, might just be being a bit gobby with one member of staff because they don't like them, & this then potentially putting them on the terrorist database.
Teachers are always & have always been concerned about the welfare of students & there's plenty of opportunity in the range of lessons taught & in pastoral work to consider these issues with individuals - but reporting them ??? More Big Brother State than genuine student welfare.
Saturday, 25 October 2008
Conservative Leader David Cameron's Free Flights Fiasco
Actually this is not a fiasco at all, but something rather more alarming. Cameron accepted £34,000 worth of free flights from Matthew Freud, son-in-law to Rupert Murdoch, this summer (strange that anyone married to an Astor would need freebies, but more worrying that a relative of Murdoch would want to give them) - one flight from Farnborough to Istanbul & thence to Santorini, followed by a link to Dalaman, also in Turkey. In Santorini, Cameron met with Murdoch.
One remembers Tony Blair cosying up to Murdoch in Australia before his election - but his declaration in the MPs Register of Interests at the time mentioned the interest of Murdoch. Cameron's did not. Why not ? We will only really believe that the party of privilege & the old school tie has changed when the con is demonstrably taken out of Conservative.
One remembers Tony Blair cosying up to Murdoch in Australia before his election - but his declaration in the MPs Register of Interests at the time mentioned the interest of Murdoch. Cameron's did not. Why not ? We will only really believe that the party of privilege & the old school tie has changed when the con is demonstrably taken out of Conservative.
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