At about 4.15pm today the BBC announced that there would be no General Election held this year or next.
Throughout its 10 years in power, the Labour government has consistently and continuously ignored parliamentary process and chosen to unveil its plans by talking to its friends in the media.
Today's news, which should have been announced in the House of Commons where the Prime Minister would have been subject to more stringent questioning than that of Andrew Marr , is just the latest example of this.
When anointed PM, Gordon Brown promised a return to trust & integrity in politics; his cynical photo opportunities and spin-driven press releases highlight that the emperor has only acquired some new clothes
Saturday 6 October 2007
Wednesday 3 October 2007
Too Little Chocolate Gives Keynsham a Headache
Today's Cadbury Schweppes announced the closure of its factory in Keynsham and the loss of 700 British jobs as they move production to Poland, of products such as Crunchie and Dairy Milk.
Keynsham is a town of about 15500 residents, of whom 500 work for Cadbury (the other 200 jobs will be lost in Bournville). It has been suggested that Cadbury will sell the site for the development of 'much needed housing' in the town; I wonder how the people of Keynsham will be able to afford a mortgage now!
This news set me thinking about men such as Titus Salt, Joseph Rowntree and George Cadbury, men who created large profitable companies, but who also realised that a business was profitable in areas that couldn't be measured in pure monetary terms. They accepted their social responsibility to the communities in which they were based, and set about funding leisure and welfare facilities, and housing for the benefit of their employees.
I wonder how much consideration the Chairman of Cadbury Schweppes, Sir John Sunderland (or indeed Peter Brabeck-Letmathe, the Chairman & CEO of Nestle) gave to his social responsibility before deciding to close the factory in Keynsham.
Perhaps a protest fall in sales would make the company rethink its strategy.
Keynsham is a town of about 15500 residents, of whom 500 work for Cadbury (the other 200 jobs will be lost in Bournville). It has been suggested that Cadbury will sell the site for the development of 'much needed housing' in the town; I wonder how the people of Keynsham will be able to afford a mortgage now!
This news set me thinking about men such as Titus Salt, Joseph Rowntree and George Cadbury, men who created large profitable companies, but who also realised that a business was profitable in areas that couldn't be measured in pure monetary terms. They accepted their social responsibility to the communities in which they were based, and set about funding leisure and welfare facilities, and housing for the benefit of their employees.
I wonder how much consideration the Chairman of Cadbury Schweppes, Sir John Sunderland (or indeed Peter Brabeck-Letmathe, the Chairman & CEO of Nestle) gave to his social responsibility before deciding to close the factory in Keynsham.
Perhaps a protest fall in sales would make the company rethink its strategy.
Monday 1 October 2007
Big Brother IS Watching You
Today the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 became law.
So what, you may ask.
This law demands that data about every telephone call made or received in this country has to be stored for 12 months and be made available, without a warrant or other legal document, to any one of 652 different public bodies, including every local authority in the land, the Environment Agency, the Inland Revenue and the Post Office, and others shown on the link below:
http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts2000/ukpga_20000023_en_12#sch1
Quite why the Post Office or the tax man wants to know who I've been talking to is beyond me.
And don't forget that mobile phone data includes information about your location when you were on your mobile.
Despite the government's claims, this has nothing to do with defeating terrorism, but has everything to do with the state's ongoing attempts to control its citizens
So what, you may ask.
This law demands that data about every telephone call made or received in this country has to be stored for 12 months and be made available, without a warrant or other legal document, to any one of 652 different public bodies, including every local authority in the land, the Environment Agency, the Inland Revenue and the Post Office, and others shown on the link below:
http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts2000/ukpga_20000023_en_12#sch1
Quite why the Post Office or the tax man wants to know who I've been talking to is beyond me.
And don't forget that mobile phone data includes information about your location when you were on your mobile.
Despite the government's claims, this has nothing to do with defeating terrorism, but has everything to do with the state's ongoing attempts to control its citizens
On The Subject Of...
Yesterday in my piece on falling lamp-posts I mentioned Wakefield's Interim Network Manager, and I spent a sleepless night wondering just what an Interim Network Manager does; does he manage networks in the interim, or do we have an interim network, and if so, what on earth is one?
A quick trawl of the local newspaper jobs section, and the council's web-site unearths the following positions available with the council: Support Co-ordinator - Facilities Co-ordination where the role involves managing & developing the Development and Support team, meeting existing and future needs for Neighbourhood Services, Departmental Management Teams and Facilities Co-ordination(!); Social Enterprise Facilitator; Cultural Officer, Heritage Learning and Access, including Renaissance (that's one job!) and Performance and E-Government Assistant.
If anyone can tell me what these positions contribute to our town please tell me; there might be a prize.
A quick trawl of the local newspaper jobs section, and the council's web-site unearths the following positions available with the council: Support Co-ordinator - Facilities Co-ordination where the role involves managing & developing the Development and Support team, meeting existing and future needs for Neighbourhood Services, Departmental Management Teams and Facilities Co-ordination(!); Social Enterprise Facilitator; Cultural Officer, Heritage Learning and Access, including Renaissance (that's one job!) and Performance and E-Government Assistant.
If anyone can tell me what these positions contribute to our town please tell me; there might be a prize.
Sunday 30 September 2007
Lamp-Post Attacks Man Shock
An unsafe street light at the junction of Wood Street & Westgate collapsed onto a pedestrian, causing him significant injury.
Possibly an unavoidable accident; actually NO. A local businessman reported the street light to the council three months ago.
However, Wakefield MDC's Interim Network Manager (?) hides behind the usual refuge of the inadequate: he has launched an investigation! It's not difficult: lamp was reported; no-one did anything; lamp fell over.
This is yet another example of the cavalier, arrogant and contemptuous way both Wakefield Council and the ruling Labour group run this city. When you get the chance, use your vote & kick them out. THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE TO YOU.
Possibly an unavoidable accident; actually NO. A local businessman reported the street light to the council three months ago.
However, Wakefield MDC's Interim Network Manager (?) hides behind the usual refuge of the inadequate: he has launched an investigation! It's not difficult: lamp was reported; no-one did anything; lamp fell over.
This is yet another example of the cavalier, arrogant and contemptuous way both Wakefield Council and the ruling Labour group run this city. When you get the chance, use your vote & kick them out. THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE TO YOU.
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