Normal for Norwich

This week the candidates in the Norwich North byelection were been formally announced, although it makes little difference to the parties who have already been campaigning for weeks. The race to fill the seat vacated by Dr Ian Gibson has attracted a clutch of independents, including a former welterweight boxing champ and Craig Murray, whose campaign we have previously noted on Best of the Politics Blogs.

Murray aside, the race pits a very young Tory against a Labour's very young candidate. Voters seeking experience over youth can lend their support to a Green vegan called Rupert, or the Lib Dem candidate – who is named April Pond and who has been so successful that she is able to maintain a moat without taxpayer subsidy.

On Political Betting, questions were being asked about the apparent lack of media interest in the contest, while it was revealed that the bookies reckon Conservative victory is likely, with best odds at 1/6.

But at least BBC News 24 were interested! UEA politics lecturer Nick Anstead beat off nerves to conduct his first TV interview, in which he considered the Green Party's prospects.

Noting their “high hopes because of the one opinion poll published since Ian Gibson’s resignation, which put them on 14 per cent,” Anstead was sceptical of their ability to bring in more than 7 or 8% of the vote. “If the Greens were to achieve parity with their Norwich South vote, that would be a great result for them, being a 300 per cent increase,” he explained, adding that hype around the campaign may mean that “a very good result for them may be seen as disappointing”.

Meanwhile the candidate in question, blogger Rupert Read, was making endless endless pledges.

Christopher Gilmour, or “ill and ancient,” was hoping for a good result for the very, very young Libertarian, Twitterer Thomas Burridge. But he noted the lack of images of the young candidate, quipping: “maybe he's just too young to leave much of a snail trail online”.

Also on the web, Andreas Paterson thinks there is an “incredible atmosphere of enthusiasm” in the Labour camp and this commentary blog wondered whether anyone was taking the campaign seriously. Fear not – the NS will be taking it seriously.

What have we learned this week?

That the prime minister this week enjoyed his first meeting with the Libyan leader. In the same week Nick Griffin revealed that he wants to sink boats full of immigrants heading across the Med and send their (overwhelmingly non-Libyan) occupants back to Libya. Gareth Allen remarked: “It is certainly instructive that Colonel Gaddafi is more welcoming of illegal immigrants than Nick Griffin”. Their interests may no longer coincide, but this was not always so. In 1988 Griffin travelled to Tripoli at Gadaffi’s expense to discuss funding for National Front.

Around the World

This week our new Defence Secretary warned of further British combat deaths in Afghanistan. Over in Kabul, Sanjar Qiam recently carried an image that may hearten soldiers.

Videos of the Week

Norwich's most famous man is Alan Partridge. Having proved his journalistic prowess covering the 1997 general election, the BBC must surely invite him back to cover developments in his home city.

Quote of the Week

“I wonder if the Chloe Smith who claims to be “Norfolk through and through” is the same Chloe Smith who Conservativehome tell us reached the final four for the Conservative candidacy in…. Ipswich. ”

Hopi Sen doubts the credentials of the Tory candidate.

www.newstatesman.com - A boxer and a vegan head for Norfolk

Pride and Prejudice

"If gays vote Tory they will rue the day very soon,” cautioned Chris Bryant darkly. His comments followed Ben Bradshaw's attack on the Conservatives, warning that a deep strain of homophobia persists in their ranks. The Culture Secretary bares the scars of a nasty and prejudiced general campaign in Exeter 12 years ago, when his oddball Tory opponent Dr Adrian Rogers accused gay people of leading “deviant lifestyles”.

But does this new wave of criticism ring true – even following Cameron's apology for section 28? Iain Dalecountered that it did not. In an “open letter” he stressed the progress that gay rights have made from the fringe to the mainstream within the party. And he asked for good grace from Bryant, writing:

“In my speech at my civil partnership ceremony I thanked Tony Blair for making such an event possible. Why do you both find it impossible to articulate any sort of acknowledgement of the fact that the Tories have changed?”

Tory Rascal also believed that “foaming at the mouth” Bradshaw was off-the-mark and outdated.

“As in all things, the Conservatives stand for the belief that success can be achieved by those who work hard and are determined to overcome their difficulties. As a gay man from a broken home, I found that approach appealing. In the battle for the pink vote, social liberalism and sound money is bound to win,” he blogged.

A survey of Tory PPCs conducted by Conservative Home would appear to bare this out, indicating that some 62% believe “same sex couples should be given the same benefits as married couples”.

Even non-Tories were unimpressed with Labour's attack, Garbo on the Wardman Wire explaining that while there may be homophobia in the Conservative party, “Bradshaw’s attack is so unsophisticated and sweeping it is merely an easy cheap shot providing nothing for the electorate other than a confused, desperate sound bite”.

Marking Gay Pride with something other than a slanging match - Stephen Twigg reflected on the development of gay rights as a central plank of Labour's equality agenda, while The Talking Clock recalls the injustices of section 28. Elsewhere, Lib Dem Linlithgow Journal blogged on gay Muslims and 'EastEnders'.

What have we learned this week?

Bloggers from the left and right have agreed to join Nick Ferrari in boycotting Iranian-state TV station, Press TV. This is good news, but it does beg the question of those who have previously appeared on the station: have they only now noticed that the station pumps out propaganda in support of racist tyranny?

And as Benjamin Gray commented this week, “Press TV exists to promote lies, and is an arm of a government that sees fit to shut down newspapers that contradict it”.

Around the World

At the Zimbabwean online activist hub, Kubatana, a call went out for domestic confidence in the possibility of economic revival. “The success of the country’s economic turnaround should be measured by how we use the local investment that is lying idle before using foreign assistance.”

Videos of the Week

Remember BBC sitcom 'Coupling'? Here the gang confront the apparently shocking notion of a gay Thatcherite. “How dare you say that! You're gay, you're our side!” lefty Sally cries.

Quote of the Week

“I wondered if this could be the same Baroness Warsi who was accused of distributing homophobic leaflets when a candidate in the 2005 General Election?”

Joe Oliver wonders if Lady Warsi may not be the ideal candidate to dole out criticism of Ben Bradshaw.

www.newstatesman.com - Gay pride and prejudice

Cleaning up with Pledge

Our old friend Tacitus said that “the more corrupt the state, the more laws”. As the flood of astonishing claims finally began to dry up, this was the week when party leaders sought to stamp their authority on the expenses scandal by hammering their tribes into line with rules and diktats. Usefully, this will eliminate the need for any of them waste time searching for a moral compass or sense of decency.

Cameron took the lead by demanding that errant Conservatives return to the fees office claims that his scrutiny panel had determined to be beyond the pale. This nameless libertarian was ambivalent about the gesture.

“Difficult to know what to say other than "'oh',” he wrote. “As a taxpayer I'm pleased we're getting some of the money back (no doubt to be wasted by the government in some other way), although I do have to say that I'd be happier if it hadn't been robbed from us in the f**king first place.”

Following the “big payback,” David Cornock noted Welsh MP David Davies' enthusiasm both for tough scrutiny of our fiscal contributions and of his own parliamentary expenses. After Cameron's demand that he stump up repay expenses on a council tax, mortgage interest and a plant pot, he wryly noted:

“So David Davies will find himself £2,033.87 poorer and could be forgiven if he has second thoughts about setting up his own independent panel. To add to his woes, he can't recall or trace the plant pot.”

The PM struck back by bringing back that much-missed New Labour icon: the pledge card. Candidates will have to agree not to steal from us and to regularly remind constituents who they are. Meanwhile Brian Barder on Labour List blogged a bleak missive. “The expenses scandal isn’t the only reason for sensible people of all political persuasions to despair of both politics as currently practised,” he wrote, pointing to the “childish baying and general tribalism” of PMQs.

Away from Westminster, our former man in Tashkent, Craig Murray was in buoyant mood, as his campaign to become the next MP for the vacant seat of North Norwich was given a boost by the Corrigan Brothers, who have granted him license to use their MP Expenses Song.

Elsewhere, Paul Burgin wanted to know why Cameron has failed to sack Eleanor Laing, Jonathan Calder was puzzled by David Tredinnick's esoteric claims and Guido wondered whether Members had taken the “clean hands” mantra rather literally.

What have we learned this week?

Alexander Meleagrou-Hitchens points to the irony of perfidious Albion hosting Press TV, the Iranian state broadcaster which: “...spends much of its time 'interviewing' luckless, trembling Iranians, clearly under duress, who claim that Britain and MI6 have been encouraging them to cause trouble”.

Londoners will have noticed that the station's recent advertising campaign on the buses and tube, promising to give “a voice to the voiceless,” is redundant since the election of Griffin and Brons on June 4th, as Holocaust deniers and totalitarians now do have a voice.

Around the World

Controversial Genoan comedian Beppe Grillo blogged to an unborn Italian. Reflecting on his nation's approaching 150th anniversary, he pointed to Italy's World Cup success, but feels history may judge it outweighed by a seemingly endless list of woes, not least:

“[t]he non-existent public services, the self-serving political parties that plunder public resources, Berlusconi, the worst opposition in the whole of Europe, the destruction of the sense of public duty, the elimination of information, one of the world’s highest public debt levels, a Parliament that is teeming with convicted criminals, an industrial system that lies in ruin..”

His torrent of despair concluded: “Do we really want another one hundred and fifty years like these? Italians!!! But no one answered.”

Videos of the Week

Young Conservatives and video cameras are a dangerous combination. It all ends in tears in this Don't Panic video featuring Tooting's Mark Clarke, a candidate whose behaviour memorably provoked the ire of Dizzy. Discovering that the film painted them unflatteringly, London Conservative Future made the bizarre and infantile move of claiming its copyright.

If that isn't enough to cheer you up, let your economic despondency drift away to the strains of the Indelicates' Recession Song.

Quote of the Week

“Is it just me or does this have a Back to Basics whiff to it?”

Plato Says is left puzzled by the Labour candidate pledge.

www.newstatesman.com - More corruption, more laws

Inquiring minds

"There will come a time when it is appropriate to hold an inquiry," the prime minister wrote to the Fabian Society's Sunder Katwala last March. The clarification was welcome, but with the inquiry's establishment this week has come discontent sufficient to unite even Justin McKeating and Iain Dale.

Katwala, who had originally called for a public inquiry, noted on Next Left Ed Balls' remark that the Inquiry should be as open as possible, recalling that in 2005: “His view was that there had been a strong case for giving Hans Blix and the weapons inspectors more time in 2003,” and reinforcing the idea that an open and public inquiry should not be an alien concept to senior figures in the government today (especially those who, like Balls, they were not at the time MPs).

Response from Tory bloggers varied widely, from demands for a fully transparent and wide-ranging inquiry, to calls to scrap the entire endeavour. London Tory James Cleverly, a Major in the TA, wrote: “I'm not so naive to think that everything can be discussed in public but I feel that this (as with all government) should be as open as possible,” adding that “The justification for going to war given by Tony Blair at the time has now been shown to have been wrong, we need to know whether it was an inadvertent error of if the was 'economical with the truth'”.

Meanwhile Kel on The Osterley Times wrote that: “Even if the inquiry ultimately decides that Blair acted in good faith, it should at the very least attempt to answer the many questions which the public have regarding this conflict”.

Not all bloggers objected to the inquiry's terms. Dave Cole identified timing, secrecy and outputs and the three principal objections that exist. He argued persuasively that its efficacy will rest upon it being given both the time and the confidentiality of testimony necessary to make it worthwhile - and that it must necessarily report on operational rather than policy issues – on the basis that: “Ultimately, going to war in Iraq was a political decision. While an inquiry may do much, it cannot decide whether a policy was right or wrong. That is reserved for the electorate.”

By Thursday, speculation was rife that the Labour ranks could force Brown's hand – and insist on a reformulation of the inquiry's basis. As Number Ten squeaked the possibility of holding parts of it in public, the progressive Christian Ekklesia blog noted the strange misuse of the term “theology” in respect of its openness, while Beau Bo D'Or had his own graphic take.

What have we learned this week?

The unmasking of Orwell prize-winning blogger Nightjack has caused widespread anger in the blogosphere – and provoked a spin-off debate on identifying the authorship newspaper leaders. Of the online comment over the issue, Carl Gardner's broadside at the Times is particularly worth reading.

Around the World

Extraordinary photos, videos and coverage of the protests in Iran can be seen on the excellent Tehran 24 blog. While uprising following the presidential election has been characterised by the young protestors willingness to report on developments online, it is not the exclusive domain of the pro-reform camp. Here Hamid Tehrani translates the views of a pro-Ahmadinejad blogger, who believes that: “Mousavi, in the most optimistic scenario, is merely a victim of this deceiving movement”.

Iran has previously jailed bloggers on dubious pretext, not least Omid Reza Mir Sayafi, who died in a Tehran prison earlier this year, having been jailed for allegedly insulting religious authority.

Videos of the Week

To celebrate the launch of the Iraq inquiry, here's a live version of Mesopotamia by the B52s.

Quote of the Week

“It is important that the inquiry recognises that this story didn’t start with the invasion, but that it nevertheless examines this suffering of the Iraqi people under Saddam. For those reasons, it should take evidence in Iraq.”

Gary Kent of Labour Friends of Iraq calls for evidence to be taken from Iraqis.

www.newstatesman.com - Mesopotamia on the mind

Field day

The first identifiable speaker of the House, Peter de Montfort, presided over what became known as the “mad parliament”. He was slain in battle, a casualty of the violence that made order in 13th century England.

Less noble, if no less intriguing, the race to succeed the toppled Speaker Martin has exercised citizen journalists this week. Among the most under-rated blogging MPs, Newport West's Paul Flynn gives a terrific guide to the runners and riders – lauding John Bercow as a “witty star performer”. Regulars in Westminster boozer the Cardinal will be familiar with the sight of Bercow holding court and agree that he can indeed command a rabble magisterially. Grassroots Tories weren't as keen as Flynn though, one writing: “...he is hated by Conservatives, (despite him getting Labour support), he will... fall at the first hurdle.

Meanwhile Liberal Democrat Stephen Tall revealed that his cadres favoured voice of the Labour right Frank Field for the post, over their own veteran knights, Sir Ming and Sir Alan Beith.

Logic was the order of the day on Iain Dale's Diary, where the likelihood of Campbell or Beith proceeding was dismissed outright, on the grounds that:

“Logic further tells me that Labour MPs in particular are unlikely to support a LibDem. They seem to hate the LibDems more than they hate Tories, especially as the more tribal ones blame the LibDems for the overthrow of Michael Martin.”

Dale's clinical reasoning led him to tip Sir Alan Haselhurst, with the hefty caveat that: “...logic actually plays little role in electoral reality. All of which goes to show that, frankly, the whole race is up for grabs”.

Over at the FT Westminster Blog the consequences of Frank Field's recent broadside at the prime minister this week were examined.

“Before this intervention Field was concentrating on his campaign to be Speaker and was keeping his distance from the mutiny, at least in public,” Alex Barker noted, adding that: “Field has put the need to oust Brown ahead of his own career”.

A couple of weeks ago the right-wingers over at the Adam Smith Institute had predicted: “The next speaker will almost certainly be an older stalwart of Parliament who can control and command the respect of all”.

Yet, with fresh faces like Parmjit Dhanda in the mix and an appetite for radical shake-up – even the clever punters at Political Betting would be advised to place their bets with caution. It is, after all, a mad parliament.

What have we learned this week?

As Britain reflects on the election of a brace of far-right (or as Tim Montgotmerie would have it, “ultra-nationalist”) MEPs, Harry's Place reports that the murderer who opened fire at the Holocaust Museum in Washington DC was a “friend” of the British National Party.

Around the World

Down in Venezuela The Devil's Excrement noted Chavez's weird descent into arbitrary totalitarianism. Try to get a Coke Zero in Caracas now. You can't, because: “As of right now that product is banned without telling us what is that mysterious component that may damage our brain, or sex life, or skin”.

A self-confessed fan of Coke, he was considerably affronted by Hugo's decision, commenting: “That is the true parody our poor country is living today. There is little that is good. A lot that is bad. Many things that are ugly, but the Government is worried about Coca Cola Zero!”

Videos of the Week

Mistry water-coloured memories; relive Betty Boothroyd keeping the House in order and giving Dale (now Baron) Campbell-Savours a dressing down. Magnificent.

Quote of the Week

“The notion, that has been popular, that left-wing Tory, John Bercow, might attract Labour backing never really sounded feasible. It’s got to be a senior figure in the house.”

Mike Smithson fancies Margaret Beckett

www.newstatesman.com - Still the mad parliament?

Alea iacta est

“In seasons of tumult and discord bad men have the most power; mental and moral excellence require peace and quietness.” - Tacitus

Following the exit of the Home Secretary, the departure of Hazel Blears as minister responsible for local government, on the eve of the local elections seemed to indicate that the Rubicon had been crossed – Brown's removal from office was a matter of “when”, not “if”.

At Prime Minister's Questions the government frontbench stared at the Tories, stared at the ground, stared anywhere other than at each other. Balls was flushed and sweaty. Darling looked like an embarrassed schoolboy. Conor Ryan thought that Brown had put in solid performance against a “relatively lacklustre David Cameron,” though Iain Dale thought that he had “squirmed like a wriggling eel”.

As the polls closed on Thursday, James Purnell (a minister described by Cranmer as a “talented, personable, charismatic and eloquent Blairite”) dropped a bombshell by not only resigning, but saying what he meant. While the general consensus was that he had opened the floodgates, Justin McKeating was less than bothered. Casting Purnell as a reactionary who won't be missed, he quipped: “Even a breathless John Humphrys on the Today programme on Radio 4 is struggling to make this sound seismic.”

A blow to Brown's hopes of hanging on had already come from LabourList, where new editor Alex Smith told the prime minister to go, quoting his own words back at him and asking that he “summon his better angels”.

As weary activists awoke on Friday, it emerged that John Hutton was leaving as defence secretary, citing personal reasons. Jon Snow blogged that Hutton is “a nice man who reached the summit of his ambition in becoming defence secretary,” and who had departed without firing a direct shot at Brown.

While we won't know the outcome of the European elections until Sunday, Lib Dem victory in Bristol was announced on Friday morning and indications were, as expected, that Labour was taking a beating, particularly across the South of England. Kudos must go to Iain Dale and Hopi Sen for providing rolling online radio coverage of the local results as they arose throughout Friday.

Will Brown be leading our country this time next week? Did Nero enjoy the lyre?

What have we learned this week?

H'Angus the Monkey has won a third term as Mayor of Hartlepool. Stuart Drummond may have originally been elected as an act of collective civic levity, but has endured and prospered in office. Lord Toby Harris noted:

“Certainly, his re-election means that his original election can no longer be used as an argument that directly-elected Mayoral systems will automatically result in electors voting frivolously.”

Congratulations H'Angus.

Videos of the Week

“Frankly, Mr. Shankly, this position I've held/ It pays my way, and it corrodes my soul”. This goes out to all former cabinet ministers, the ultimate resignation song: Frankly, Mr Shankly.

Quote of the Week

“Maybe it's all part of a cunning plan that will end with the irascible entrepreneur pointing the finger at the PM and uttering the infamous words "you're fired"!”

Glasgow SNP activist Indygal on the latest development in post-parody politics, the appointment of Sir Alan Sugar to a peerage and the post of 'enterprise tsar”.

www.newstatesman.com - Will Sir Alan fire Gordon?

Not talking Europe

With polls showing Labour trailing in a miserable third place, excitement grows in the blogging community that next Thursday could finally prove the sucker punch that knocks out the prime minister. On the Spectator’s Coffee House blog, James Forsyth speculated:

“If the Labour press were to decide Brown has to go because otherwise the party could die, Brown would be in dire trouble.”

But on the Wardman Wire, Garbo was frustrated by the trivial tone of the campaign.

“So why, during a party election broadcast for the European elections do the Conservative talk about expenses? Why do the Labour Party and Lib Dems refuse to mention Europe at the moment?” he complained, and was concerned by the notion of voters “punishing democracy,” arguing that “what it [democracy] does not need is tokenistic, opportunistic knee jerk reactions”.

Lib Dem Alex Wilcock answered the call, proving that even if the parties don’t want to talk Europe, the activists do. He believed that only his party can “hit Labour hard,” and offered a positive view of the party’s European agenda.

“They can protect civil liberties, from global corporations and big governments alike. Gangsters, murderers and terrorists can all be dealt with far more effectively in cross-border co-operation, but anti-European parties like the Conservatives have voted to let them all go free rather than work with other countries. And that’s insane,” he wrote, detailing some of the benefits of pan-European co-operation.

http://www.organizedrage.com/2009/05/why-i-have-just-voted-g...">Mick Hall, who describes his blog as being “from the perspective of the working classes and the dispossessed,” explained his reasoning in casting his postal ballot. He regected No2EU, the left-wing anti-EU platform, on the grounds that its “candidates are standing on an abstentionist ticket, which I regard as a betrayal of the needs of working class people”. With some reservations, he decided to back the Greens, noting a “…social program which I can endorse, a fine anti-racist/fascist record and are solid on the environment”.

Elsewhere, former UKIP Press Officer Annabelle Fuller holds forth on the Euro-ignorance of mainstream party politicians while Labour MEP Glyn Ford blogs for Tribune on the potential impact of the expenses scandal on Tory election prospects.

Full blog reaction to the results will follow next week’s poll.

What have we learned this week?

That on June 4th, you may be able to cast your vote for a Kitcat. Harry’s Place kindly keeps an eye on the Euro candidates with the most appealing and unusual names.

Around the World

I was in Beirut last week – and could not avoid the myriad posters depicting young photogenic Lebanese hoping to seduce voters ahead of the country’s elections. Beiruter illustrates and notes the influence of agencies on political advertising in the country.

Video of the Week

Dedicated to all the candidates whose futures now rest in the hands of Britain’s voters, enjoy Roger McGuinn of The Byrds singing ‘I wanna grow up to be a politician’.

Quotes of the Week

“One MEP candidate who just phoned me told me of almost uncontrolled anger on the part of many people. There's also a suspicion that half the people who say they are going to vote UKIP actually intend to vote for the BNP but are too ashamed to admit it.”

Iain Dale gives readers an important reason to get out and vote on June 4th.

www.newstatesman.com - Euro-ignorance and opportunism

Febrile swine

Members shuffle around Westminster with the air of cheating spouses whose indiscretions have finally been exposed. They keep their eyes down. Some look like they’ve slept in their clothes. You’d almost start to pity them… yet it’s difficult to forget the reason they’re in the doghouse.

We’ve been forking out for their chandeliers.

In the case of David Heathcoat-Amory, we have literally been paying for their horseshit.

Brian Appleyard felt a certain reticence in commenting on the issue, but in a typically insightful post examined the situation with reference to the Milgram Experiment, noting that: “the rules were disobeyed not just by the MPs but, more importantly, by the people accepting their claims”.

He fingered the Fees Office as culpabable, writing: “In that climate, of course people claimed what they could. This is because - read this slowly and repeat - they are human beings”.

By Thursday, the first blood was let as ex-minister Elliot Morley’s baffling claims for an already-paid mortgage led to his suspension from the Parliamentary Labour Party.

Meanwhile, David Cameron’s right-hand man in parliament, Andrew Mackay, was forced to resign his post as parliamentary aide following revelations that he and wife Julie Kirkbride (the member for Bromsgrove) had essentially maintained both of their homes on the public purse.

Lawyer Carl Gardner examined Morley's possible offences on The Wardman Wire while Bishop Alan felt that it was unhelpful to confuse the cases that are amusing but trivial with those that may amount to serious fraud.

Tory Councillor Tim Dodds thought Mackay’s subsequent TV appearances “showed he didn’t ‘get it’, and failed the integrity test”. Sir Compton was less delicate.

“What they did may be "within the rules" but even an imbecile with the most basic grasp of right and wrong would feel uncomfortable about such an arrangement, surely?” the old buffer wrote on 14 May.

On the TUC’s Touchstone Blog, Brendan Barber issued a warning to those so appalled by the current wave of scandals that they do not intend to vote in the forthcoming elections.

“Refusing to vote will not stop a single councillor or MEP getting elected. Instead it will simply make it much more likely that extremists - particularly those peddling race hate and intolerance - will be elected,” he wrote.

Finally, Mark Vernon’s philosophy blog examined some of the moral lessons that arise from the farrago. My favourite is his interpretation of Aristotle's maxim Democracy naturally tends towards mob rule:

“What Aristotle's thought misses out, though, is that in this case the mob turned out to be the rulers, not the ruled.”

I had the sad misfortune to spot one scandal-hit MP in Portcullis House this week, sporting shorts and t-shirt and looking distinctly dewey. How many more are mopping sweaty brows and waiting for their as yet unrevealed hoggish claims to see light?

What have we learned this week?

On the Guardian’s Music Blog, Dan Hancox asks whether Tory MP John Whittingdale has saved grime. So it seems that Tinchy Stryder, British grime supremo, may have another MP to pen a thank you note to…

Around the World

In the land down under, Ben Eltham blogs on his experience of Australia’s strange annual budget day tradition, the journalistic “lock up”. In essence, the government lures all the journalists to parliament in Canberra, kidnaps them and over the coming hours forces them to digest both the budget and sandwiches. Every year they fall for it!

Video of the Week

Courtesy of Daily Reckless, it’s Only Pools and Horse Manure.

Quotes of the Week

“When the entire political class has been caught with its hand in the till, we need this power more than ever.”

The Make Votes Count blog argues for the single transferable vote (STV) system, which could give the electorate more power to punish individual MPs, without punishing the party as a whole.

www.newstatesman.com - Snouts in a scandal

Don't know much biology

DNA, according to top boffins and Joe Strummer, is “all coded in the initial phase”. There's no escaping it. And nor should there be according to Harriet Harman, a former legal officer for Liberty, who claims that those who set themselves in opposition to the government retaining our biological essence are “putting themselves against justice”.

The government's almost mockingly modest plans to slim down their retention of innocent people's DNA data following a recent European Court of Human Rights' ruling, will allow the Home Office to continue to hold DNA samples for either 6 or 12 years – and prompted no small degree of unrest among Britain's keyboard warriors. The aptly named Glyn Moody regarded the announcement as reprehensible, remarking: “Yet again this government shows its deep contempt for international courts, and demonstrates its profoundly cynical belief that the innocent simply haven't been proved guilty yet”.


Many felt this way. But rushing to the Harman's side came blogging backbencher Kerry McCarthy, who defended the proposals on the basis of their potential to help solve sex crimes, concluding:

“Are your 'civil liberties' really so precious that you'd be prepared to have these crimes on your conscience?”

Her rather provocative use of condescending inverted commas drew an admirably measured response from fellow Bristolian Steve Loughran, who wrote:

“Yes. Because the alternative: ubiquitous police state based on 7x24 monitoring of all communications, activities and movement is based on the assumption that the police are there for your benefit,” noting that Labour's plans rest on the presumption of a perpetually benevolent state.

A speaker at Lib Dem conference once argued that his colleagues must be vigilent in pressing for limits on the powers of the state, because if in government his party would be “just as bad”. Loughran makes the point that the alternatives may be considerably worse.

And it was a Liberal Democrat, in the form of Welsh Assembly Member Peter Black, who asserted that “The Home Office really are just trying to get away with doing as little as possible when they should be focusing resources and their energy on catching criminals, rather than persecuting the innocent. Meanwhile, a hop across the pond, our cousins on The Huffington Post were equally unimpressed with the Home Office. “Britain has truly become the home of Big Brother,” was the consensus.

Not everyone was so wound up though. Driver Rob was quite enamoured by the prospect, soothingly explaining: “There would be no need for any other data except some unique identifier like your N.I. number. What harm can it do you?”

For those who are interested: Rob was born in 1946, married in 1973 and teaches physics. For further details, give it six months and ask a vaguely competent hacker.

What have we learned this week?

That if Virago Press appointed Jim Davidson as chief commissioning editor, it would end more happily than Derek Draper's editorship of Labour List. In his resignation statement Draper reminded beleaguered readers that due to email infiltration “what was a silly idea ultimately destined for the trash can became a national scandal,” and handed the chalice to deputy Alex Smith. “Sounds like shuffling the deckchairs on the Titanic”, despaired leading Labour blogger Kerron Cross.

Around the World

In cheerless Reykjavík, the Iceland Weather Report's Alda finds a story to warm the cockles. Japsy Jacob, a young Indian living in the east of the country is currently threatened with deportation and in consequence, forced marriage. But residents are rallying to her side, in a campaign reminiscent of the heroic Shetland effort to keep Sakchai Makao from being deported from their islands.

Video of the Week

“Relevant” and “funny” aren't terms often applied to Dire Straits, but Mark Knopfler's observations on the state of the British economy in the early 1980s now have a renewed resonance. “History boils over, there's an economics freeze/ Sociologists invent words that mean Industrial Disease,” he sagely opined.

Quotes of the Week

“When they are reduced to accusing people who believe those cleared of crimes should not have their DNA stored on a database of being 'against justice' you know they have lost the debate. Role on the General Election, it's clear we need rid of them now.”

'Davidee2' on Labour Home

“The Tridents are not weapons of mass destruction.”

Nadine Dorries on the nuclear warheads carried by Britain's ballistic missile submarines.

www.newstatesman.com - A perpetually benevolent state

Ayo Ghurkali!

Nick Clegg had a storming week. In just one day he managed to “own” (as the kids say) over Gurkha resdiency at PMQs, achieve his party's greatest ever parliamentary victory and meet Joanna Lumley. In his day, Ashdown might have conversed with the heroes in Ghurkali before flying off in a helicopter – but Clegg can still be quite pleased.

Reflecting on the party's campaigning success, Alix Mortimer called the vote a “narrow but highly significant victory,” while fellow Lib Dem John said: “We have raised our head above the parapet showing our elan and instincts”. Sam Crawley was “filled with pride and hope” at the day's events, in which the Lib Dems “led the way”.

“I have a vested interest in this story – having visited Nepal four times, I have met many from the various tribes – Nepalis, Sherpas and others,” he explained, adding that: “they are amongst the most friendly, hospitable and hard-working peoples in the world, and I have come away each time with new friends and warmth from the way in which I was hosted.”

Delight crossed party boundaries. On the right Croydonian analysed the rebels and abstainers and on the left Sunny Hundal of Liberal Conspiracy was “delighted” by the Prime Minister’s humiliating defeat in the Liberal Democrat opposition day vote. Noting grumbling among some Labour bloggers over the characterisation of the issue as a defeat for government misanthropy, he wrote:

“Where was the campaign by pro-Gurkha Labour MPs to try and rally opinion amongst MPs, the party and amongst the wider public to not only force the government to backtrack, but also make a distinction between where many within the party stood and where Phil Woolas and Gordon Brown stood?”

Some defence of the government was offered by James Mills on Labour List. He argued that “the negative press which Labour has been getting on this is frankly a disgrace,” positing that the extension in pension and citizenship rights over the past 12 years compares favourably with the record of previous Conservative administrations. Elsewhere, Hopi Sen ventured “I’m generally of the opinion that stories like this are usually more complex than they look. But as a question of political strategy, it’s pretty simple.”

Indeed, it was apparent from his appearance at PMQs that, as Mark Reckoned: “You could tell from Brown's evasive and unconvincing responses that he just did not get how strong the feeling on this issue is”. Yet in a time when parliament has increasingly come to be regarded with contempt - Wednesday's vote may restore a little faith.

What have we learned this week?

That Nadine Dorries objects to being referred to as “Mad Nad” - because it is “incorrect”. She describes Bedford's mayor, Frank Branston, as “overweight, sweaty, unpleasant, shrill and politically opportune”. What is worse: making derogatory remarks about someone's mental health or about their propensity to perspire? I simply don't know.

Around the World

Up on Capitol Hill, Wonkette was live blogging Obama's 100th day, injecting some necessary levity into generally grave and pompous analysis of an arbitrary date.

Video of the Week

Jarvis Cocker now believes that we need a Tory government. But despite recent rave rumours, this blog remains convinced that Dave is not, and never has been, Sorted for Es and Wizz.

Quote of the Week

“At least one Labour MP was on hypocrite heat, drooling about how dreadful was his government and demanding a rethink on the Gurkhas by putting his signature to a pro-Gurkha early day motion only for him the very next day to vote the opposite and back the government's policy of booting most Gurkhas out of Britain. David Anderson, Labour MP for Blaydon, hang your head in shame.”

Jonathan Wallace

www.newstatesman.com - Ghurkas and more