"No wonder Nick Clegg's smiling. Lifting 1.1 million low-paid out of tax in a massive Lib Dem win."
Wednesday 23 March 2011
1.1 million low-paid out of tax
As The Sun Politics on Twitter said today:
Saturday 19 March 2011
The secret prisoners
In a post that should chill the marrow of every reader, political blogger Anna Raccoon has reported on Thursday's parliamentary debate in Westminster Hall.
The debate, secured by Liberal Democrat MP John Hemming, was on Articles 9 and 13 of the Bill of Rights; you can read a full transcript here.
To spend time discussing two clauses of a Bill passed in 1689 under William and Mary may seem an abstruse use of a Thursday afternoon. But Thursday's debate was a step on a lonely but important path that John has, to his credit, been beating for a long time: the dreadful stories of people who have lost their rights, property or even their liberty in secret courts, in some cases prevented by court order from even speaking to their Member of Parliament lest their children be taken away from them - not in Libya or some other far-flung foreign dictatorship, but today, here and now in the United Kingdom.
John Hemming has used parliamentary privilege to tell some of these stories which can now be publicly reported. The full transcript is a long read, but the real life misery described in the cases John describes should give everyone pause for thought, and John should be congratulated for the sterling work he is doing as an MP in shining light into some of the darkest corners of our judicial system.
The debate, secured by Liberal Democrat MP John Hemming, was on Articles 9 and 13 of the Bill of Rights; you can read a full transcript here.
To spend time discussing two clauses of a Bill passed in 1689 under William and Mary may seem an abstruse use of a Thursday afternoon. But Thursday's debate was a step on a lonely but important path that John has, to his credit, been beating for a long time: the dreadful stories of people who have lost their rights, property or even their liberty in secret courts, in some cases prevented by court order from even speaking to their Member of Parliament lest their children be taken away from them - not in Libya or some other far-flung foreign dictatorship, but today, here and now in the United Kingdom.
John Hemming has used parliamentary privilege to tell some of these stories which can now be publicly reported. The full transcript is a long read, but the real life misery described in the cases John describes should give everyone pause for thought, and John should be congratulated for the sterling work he is doing as an MP in shining light into some of the darkest corners of our judicial system.
News of an old adversary
Word reaches me from the Twitterverse that an erstwhile adversary from my Harlow days, Robert Halfon MP, is under threat of legal action for defamation from Liverpool John Moores University over views he has expressed about links between Libya and British universities - information here and here.
Clearly, having stood against him in two General Elections (2001 and 2005) I'm not a particular supporter of Robert's. But Liverpool John Moores' actions in this case seem to me quite illiberal, and I'm therefore pleased that Robert is being represented in this case by the estimable David Allen Green, prominent legal blogger, Twitterer and campaigner for libel law reform.
I'm looking forward to the Government's forthcoming review of the libel laws, and hope that the draft Bill will be further improved as it passes through Parliament to address the concerns that remain.
And in the meantime, Robert, I wish you well on this one.
Clearly, having stood against him in two General Elections (2001 and 2005) I'm not a particular supporter of Robert's. But Liverpool John Moores' actions in this case seem to me quite illiberal, and I'm therefore pleased that Robert is being represented in this case by the estimable David Allen Green, prominent legal blogger, Twitterer and campaigner for libel law reform.
I'm looking forward to the Government's forthcoming review of the libel laws, and hope that the draft Bill will be further improved as it passes through Parliament to address the concerns that remain.
And in the meantime, Robert, I wish you well on this one.
Friday 4 March 2011
Another day, another Gove initiative
Heaven help us, it's another education initiative from Michael Gove. This time he wants schools to open ten hours a day and on Saturday mornings. I can't see how that's going to produce anything other than exhausted pupils, exhausted teachers, an end to after-school activities, and a further erosion of family life.
Why is it that politicians think that if something fails, we have to keep doing the same thing only harder?
A lot of children, particularly from poorer backgrounds, are ill served by the present education system. But it seems to me that the most significant changes that would improve the educational chances of our children are smaller class sizes and really inspirational teachers.
I hope the Liberal Democrats' insistence on the pupil premium, paid to schools with children from lower income families, will start to help with the first, though more resources would clearly be needed to bring class sizes down to the levels of our private fee-paying schools. But I can't imagine many teachers being inspirational at five o'clock in the afternoon after having been chained to their desks since half past seven in the morning by Mr Gove.
Why is it that politicians think that if something fails, we have to keep doing the same thing only harder?
A lot of children, particularly from poorer backgrounds, are ill served by the present education system. But it seems to me that the most significant changes that would improve the educational chances of our children are smaller class sizes and really inspirational teachers.
I hope the Liberal Democrats' insistence on the pupil premium, paid to schools with children from lower income families, will start to help with the first, though more resources would clearly be needed to bring class sizes down to the levels of our private fee-paying schools. But I can't imagine many teachers being inspirational at five o'clock in the afternoon after having been chained to their desks since half past seven in the morning by Mr Gove.
March North
The result in the Cambridgeshire County Council by-election in March North yesterday was:
Clearly it's not an easy time to be contesting local by-elections. The last Labour government made a mess of the economy, and whoever helps clear it up is going to be unpopular for a little while.
But it was a real pleasure to work with Will McAdam - an excellent local candidate, and one to watch for the future.
- Con 616
- Lab 282
- Lib Dem 277
Clearly it's not an easy time to be contesting local by-elections. The last Labour government made a mess of the economy, and whoever helps clear it up is going to be unpopular for a little while.
But it was a real pleasure to work with Will McAdam - an excellent local candidate, and one to watch for the future.
Tuesday 1 March 2011
The law is an ass
Today's ruling by the European Court of Justice that insurance companies must not differentiate between men and women when setting prices for car insurance and other financial products is stupid and perverse.
Responsible young female drivers will have to pay more to cover irresponsible young male drivers, who are statistically twice as likely to have an accident. How is that fair? My student daughter, a careful driver already feeling the financial pinch of rising fuel prices, will see the cost of her car insurance soar by 20-25 per cent, a blow she can ill afford and one she does not deserve. And there'll be hundreds of thousands of young women like her.
I'm not an anti-European. And I believe that as a general principle we cannot expect to pick and choose which laws to obey and which not. But something is seriously wrong with the basis on which the European courts are making asinine judgements like this, and it needs taking in hand fast.
Responsible young female drivers will have to pay more to cover irresponsible young male drivers, who are statistically twice as likely to have an accident. How is that fair? My student daughter, a careful driver already feeling the financial pinch of rising fuel prices, will see the cost of her car insurance soar by 20-25 per cent, a blow she can ill afford and one she does not deserve. And there'll be hundreds of thousands of young women like her.
I'm not an anti-European. And I believe that as a general principle we cannot expect to pick and choose which laws to obey and which not. But something is seriously wrong with the basis on which the European courts are making asinine judgements like this, and it needs taking in hand fast.
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