Andrew Allison

We need to restore a work ethic in Britain

2010-11-07T12:08:00.001Z

I am something of a workaholic. I enjoy work, and enjoy having a purpose in my life. I enjoy my time off too, and spending time with my family. When I am not working I know I have earned the right to relax.

It has been reported Iain Duncan Smith is about to import a scheme from the United States, requiring those who are unemployed to do a month’s unpaid work in order to keep on receiving benefits.

There’s been the usual cries of outrage from some politicians, but surely this has to be the right thing to do. Too many people in Britain haven’t done a day’s work for many years. They are stuck in a rut, and the habit of working has evaporated, if it was ever there in the first place.

Voluntary organisations and charities would benefit greatly from additional help, and those who are claiming benefits would be contributing to their communities. Surely this is not too much to ask?

We have a once in a lifetime opportunity to change our benefits culture. We have a chance to bring down our huge benefits bill, which in turn will create a low tax culture. This will drive our economy forward, and assist in bringing the prosperity we all want.

There have been too many scare stories predicting the disasters that will befall us as a result of the government’s spending review. Although there will be job losses in the public sector, and a knock-on effect in the private sector, by restoring confidence in the British economy, the same people who forecast the job losses, predict 1.5 million jobs will be created in the next four years. This final statistic is regularly omitted.

We need to get those who can work, back to work. We need to restore a work ethic, and getting the unemployed to volunteer their time in order to receive benefits is one way we can do this.

Yet another irrational debate about the NHS

2010-08-30T14:27:00.001+01:00

I have written before on how we are seemingly incapable of having an intelligent debate on the NHS. As soon as any reform is mooted, people like John Prescott immediately jump on to a bandwagon, making outrageous claims of the dire consequences that will befall us. We live in a country that thinks only the government can provide an effective, free at the point of use healthcare system. We are completely dependent on the NHS. It’s an addiction as strong as heroin. We have become blinkered to such an extent, we are terrified of any proposals to modify the way we access healthcare services. Rational debate goes out of the window, and anyone advocating change is seen as a pariah.

The government proposes to replace NHS Direct with the 111 service currently being piloted in Co Durham and Darlington. This is what Professor Stephen Singleton, medical director of NHS North East said:

"The introduction of the NHS 111 service in County Durham and Darlington is an important part of our regional vision to improve access to urgent healthcare for local people.

"By better understanding what people really need from different local services, 111 will enable the commissioning of more effective and productive health care.

"Most importantly it will help improve efficiency across the whole health care system by reducing unnecessary waste and making sure people get access to the right service, first time."

I’m not saying this service is going to be perfect, and will suit everyone. Nor do I think NHS Direct fits this category either. What we do need to ask is whether we need a service staffed with nurses, when other trained people can handle the calls? We already have the answer. Only around 40% of staff working for NHS Direct are nurses. The new service will be able to direct callers to the relevant service they need and will also call 999 for you if necessary. It will be cheaper. It will be more streamlined and above all it will be better. A winner on all fronts, so why is Labour, in particular John Prescott, having a fit?

It could be because Prescott and all the potential Labour leadership candidates are acting with noble intentions. It could be, but it isn’t. If Labour had won the general election, it would have made more or less the same decision, and would have trumpeted it as progressive. Indeed, John Prescott stayed remarkably quiet when news about the 111 service broke before the election. Apart from Diane Abbot, all the leadership candidates were in the cabinet at the time and – one supposes – agreed with the new service being piloted.

So here we have the new politics, ladies and gentlemen. If the coalition government makes changes, it is hitting the poorest the most. They are people with evil intentions. They are nasty. Their policies are regressive, but if Labour had made those same changes – including spending cuts that would have had to take place – it would be spun as progressive politics.

I don’t agree with everything the coalition is doing. It is still keeping too much power in Whitehall and the choices it says it is giving to us are being decided by what it thinks we want, not actually what we want. It is making tough decisions, and like everything in politics, I am going to agree and disagree with those decisions. All I have seen from Labour – with the odd notable exception – is playground bully politics. Prescott will never change and he will never let the truth get in the way of frightening the voters. I had hoped at least one of the Labour leadership candidates would grow up, but alas it seems not to be. None of them seem fit to lead a major political party and certainly none of them deserve the title of statesman.

Basil Marceaux’s Bid for Governor of Tennessee

2010-08-03T20:20:00.001+01:00

Whenever I think an interview hasn’t gone very well, I’ll think of this. It certainly makes you feel better. Is this the best Tennessee Republicans can come up with? The other candidates must be better.

Hat Tip: Carl Minns

What’s wrong with the Big Society

2010-07-19T17:37:00.001+01:00

I read a joke today that said due to government cuts, the big society is going to be downgraded to the medium society. Okay, not the funniest joke you’ve ever heard, but it rather sums up what the public think of the big society policy. For starters, they don’t understand it. Hardly surprising as instead of hearing about this policy last year, it appeared to be dreamt up on the back of a fag packet a few weeks before the general election.

The next problem is we have grown used to the state doing everything for us. I believe in free at the point of use healthcare, as do the vast majority of us, but why does the state have to provide it? The NHS is almost collapsing under the weight of its bureaucracy, but if you suggest we look into other ways of providing healthcare in this country, you are greeted with a barrage of abuse.

What David Cameron announced today makes me feel disappointed. If communities are to be truly empowered, they have to empower themselves. They have to decide what they want, not be given a list of choices from the government. For example, I would like an elected mayor of Hull. There are many who agree with me and many who disagree, but surely we should be allowed to have a debate and a referendum? Apparently not. We are not one of the chosen cities. I would like the option of trimming down the amount of councillors who serve on Hull City Council. All these multi-member wards are unnecessary. Why not have around 20 full-time councillors, devoting all their energies in serving their communities? This would also work out cheaper for the taxpayer too, and it may attract a better calibre of candidate. Once again I am not allowed to make this decision.

Why not allow local authorities to get their funding from a local sales tax, as advocated by Daniel Hannan and Douglas Carswell. This would provide a much more direct chain of accountability between local voters and local councillors. Sorry, I’m getting ahead of myself, because we can’t have this either.

Until I hear politicians using the phrase ‘change from the bottom to the top’, rather than ‘from the top to the bottom’ I will not get excited. The Big Society could work, but it will not when Big Brother is giving you the options. We should be able to decide. Just give us the chance. Please government; keep a low profile.

Banning the burkha is wrong

2010-07-01T15:53:00.001+01:00

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is supposed to be a liberal democracy. We are supposed to be tolerant of other people’s views and lifestyle choices. We live and let live. Despite over a decade of the intrusive state, Britain is still a great place to live.

Tory MP, Philip Hollobone, may be acting with the best of intentions in his bid to ban the burkha, but if he has his way, it will send a message out that Britain is less tolerant than it is now.

Personally, I am not bothered in the least if a woman chooses to dress like this. It is up to her. It may exclude her from the rest of society and there is no doubt no-one will stop her in the street and pass the time of day with her, but once again, this is her choice.

What Mr Hollobone is trying to do is legislate for integration. It doesn’t work. Forcing someone to do something against their will only alienates them further. If someone tells me to do something I feel is unfair, I dig my heels in. I am sure you do the same.

I am sure this bill doesn’t stand a chance of becoming law. We are a free society and we are entitled to dress in any way we see fit, as long as it doesn’t promote violence against our fellow citizens and we are not guilty of exposure. Long may it continue.

How long do you work for the tax man?

2010-05-28T12:40:00.000+01:00

Conservative/LibDem coalition government

2010-05-11T20:25:00.001+01:00

I am shocked and surprised tonight. I never thought a formal coalition deal between Conservatives and Liberal Democrats would take place. I was wrong, and now we wait for details of the new government. On face value it seems the Tories have given far too much away, and it will have probably finished the LibDems off in local elections next year. Let’s see how long this government is going to last. Probably longer than I thought it would.

All in the national interest?

2010-05-11T11:07:00.001+01:00

“We are seeking a deal with [insert political party of your choice] in the national interest.”

How many times have we hear that over the last few days? Everything is in the national interest. No doubt the Liberal Democrats will tell us opening talks with Labour is in the national interest too, but it is more in the interests of the Liberal Democrats, rather than the rest of us.

Can we get one thing straight? Although none of political parties secured enough seats to form a majority government, and all parties failed to convince voters they deserved a clear mandate, there wasn’t a single person in Britain who cast a vote for a hung parliament. We don’t know how our fellow citizens are going to vote, but we do know they will cast their vote for a variety of different reasons. What the public does want is a new government formed that is going to get a grip with the dire financial problems this country faces.

Think about how many parties will be involved in a Lib/Lab coalition. Along with Labour and the Lib Dems, there will be the Scottish and Welsh Nationalists, the SDLP, and anyone else they can muster. It will only take one party to pull out of the coalition for the government to fall like a deck of cards. Stable government? Hardly.

If the LibDems truly want to act in the national interest, then stop this stupidity with Labour. Propping up a party the voters have clearly rejected, with the prospect of yet another unelected prime minister in September, is clearly wrong. A formal coalition between Conservatives and the LibDems will not work either, and I think the Conservatives can go it alone. When you remove the votes of the Speaker, his deputies and Sinn Fein (who don’t sit in the Commons, as they refuse to swear an oath of allegiance to the Queen), Cameron could seek support on a vote by vote basis. Therefore Clegg should have a confidence and supply agreement with Cameron, and allow a new government to be formed. It won’t last long and we will all be back to the polling booths in the Autumn, but at least we will move on from the current impasse

Campbell v Boulton arguing live on Sky News

2010-05-11T10:22:00.000+01:00

The Conservative Party was not radical and it lost

2010-05-08T17:02:00.001+01:00

I hate to tell you I told you so, but I told you so. I said the only way the Conservatives would win a working majority in the House of Commons was for them to be radical. They weren’t, and now we have a hung parliament.

As I write, deals are being hatched. Tomorrow, the horse trading will start in earnest and the voters will definitely not get what they voted for. Despite all the frantic deals, agreements made will collapse like a deck of cards, and then an election will have to be called. Some commentators say we will all be visiting the polling booths within twelve months. I’m confident the next general election will be in the autumn.

There is a cost to the nation whilst this uncertainty is played out. The markets will not have confidence in the government. There could be a run on the pound. Billions are likely to be wiped of the value of shares. It will be difficult for the government to borrow more cash at a good interest rate. Britain will be heading down a Grecian road, marked cul-de-sac. Meanwhile, in a manner Nero would be proud of, our politicians will not tackle government debt, and will fiddle whilst the UK burns.

The voters are not happy with any of the parties, and have voted accordingly. With an unpopular prime minister, and the government finances in an appalling state, I think it is fair to say the Conservative Party has succeeded in snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.

Gordon Brown apologises to me!

2010-04-28T17:42:00.001+01:00

I subscribe to e-mail alerts from Labour, Conservatives and Liberal Democrats. I like to read how all the main parties spin their campaigning days and after a disastrous day for Gordon Brown, the following has just landed in my inbox:

Andrew,
As you may know, I have apologised to Mrs Duffy for remarks I made in the back of the car after meeting her on the campaign trail in Rochdale today. I would also like to apologise to you.
I know how hard you all work to fight for me and the Labour Party, and to ensure we get our case over to the public. So when the mistake I made today has so dominated the news, doubtless with some impact on your own campaigning activities, I want you to know I doubly appreciate the efforts you make.
Many of you know me personally. You know I have strengths as well as weaknesses. We all do. You also know that sometimes we say and do things we regret. I profoundly regret what I said this morning.
I am under no illusions as to how much scorn some in the media will want to heap upon me in the days ahead.
But you, like I, know what is at stake in the days ahead and so we must redouble our campaigning efforts to stop Britain returning to a Tory Party that would do so much damage to our economy, our society and our schools and NHS, not least in places like Rochdale.
The worst thing about today is the hurt I caused to Mrs Duffy, the kind of person I came into politics to serve. It is those people I will have in my mind as I look ahead to the rest of the campaign.
You will have seen me in one context on the TV today. I hope tomorrow you see once more someone not just proud to be your leader, but also someone who understands the economic challenges we face, how to meet them, and how that improves the lives of ordinary families all around Britain.
Regards,
Gordon

Cameron only has himself to blame

2010-04-20T20:41:00.001+01:00

A week is certainly a long time in politics. This time last week I was getting rather bored with the election campaign. It was the usual knockabout stuff; Brown saying don’t let the Tories in, and Cameron saying don’t let Labour continue. I was finding it difficult to find anything positive, even though the main parties launched their manifestos early last week. I feared the leaders’ debates would be a damp squib too.

Well, things have certainly changed, although I can’t say I’m surprised. Before anyone asks me if the LibDem surge is sustainable, the simple answer is I don’t know. No-one does and this is why this election campaign has suddenly got very interesting.

Locally in Hull, sources inform me the LibDems have recruited twenty new volunteers; people who walked through the door and offered their services. Nationally, the membership of the party has increased too. The Clegg Factor has worked wonders thus far. The reason for this is simple, and the way some Conservative commentators have tried to rubbish Clegg has been silly in the extreme. The fault lies fair and square with Cameron and his team.

I have said more times than I care to mention that the only way the Conservatives can win this election is by being radical. Well, it’s too late now. Cameron was desperate not to lose this election and a few months ago many Conservatives thought the party would win at a cantor. None of them seemed to realise that not being Gordon Brown was never going to be enough. By positioning the Conservative Party firmly in the centre, he has denied the voters a choice. He keeps muttering on about change, but what does it mean? He wants us to be part of a Conservative government; all of us playing our part in our communities. Fine words, but unless you articulate a definite, cohesive plan, how are you going to sell it? Can anyone give me a reason to vote Conservative at this election, other than Cameron is not Brown? For too many voters he may not be Brown, but there is more than a passing resemblance to Tony Blair. Why isn’t Cameron telling us the truth about the size of government debt and the cuts that will have to fall? Most of the public seem to be in denial about this, and Cameron doesn’t do too much to jolt them out of this collective state of inertia. Tell us the truth and we would have more respect for him. We are sick and tired of being lied to.

It’s all too late now, unless he can pull a rabbit out of the hat. I can’t see how he will do it, but as I said at the beginning, a week is a long time in politics, and who knows what may happen? There is still more than two weeks to go before the nation decides.

Eurostar accused of profiteering

2010-04-18T10:28:00.001+01:00

As Mount ‘Unpronounceable’ continues to erupt in Iceland, causing more chaos across the skies in Europe, Eurostar has been one of the winners, as people desperately try and return to the UK from their holidays.

According to the Telegraph this morning though, Eurostar has not only benefited from increased business it has been charging a minimum of £223 for a single journey from Paris to London. Normally, you can buy a return ticket for as little as £69. Eurostar denies it is profiteering, but this is complete nonsense. Of course it is, and I always think it is good to remind companies who do this that in a free market they can charge what they like. At the same time, I am also free to decide who I wish to travel with and the next time I travel to northern Europe I will not be travelling with Eurostar, and never will again.

The public tend to remember those companies who like to rip them off when the chips our down. When life returns to normal, I hope many will kick Eurostar in the place where it hurts most.

Protest rally in Beverley

2010-04-15T20:23:00.001+01:00

Click here to read my latest post for the Taxpayers’ Alliance, giving details of a protest rally outside County Hall, Beverley, on May Day.

The battle for Hull North

2010-04-08T20:49:00.001+01:00

For years nothing changed in Hull’s politics. Three Labour MPs and a Labour dominated council chamber was the order of the day. In recent years this has changed. Hull City Council is now under Liberal Democrat control and although currently the city still has three Labour MPs, this may be about to change.

Hull East and Hull West & Hessle will return Labour MPs. Karl Turner – John Prescott’s replacement in Hull East – and current Home Secretary, Alan Johnson, will be MPs after May 6. Hull North, however, is a different prospect. Before I move on though, I think we need some background information.

There are popular MPs from all parties. I’m sure you will have noticed the times when the national swing of opinion says certain MPs will be out on their ear, but many still hang on. This is the local factor that cannot be reflected in national opinion polls. Bob Marshall-Andrews – the Labour MP, pictured left - is a prime example. Although he is standing down at this election, he is popular with his constituents, and thought he was going to join the dole queue after the 2005 general election. Many will remember his remarks on television after his great escape. ‘Call me Lazarus’, he said. Although he only held on with a majority of 213, the local factor is here again, bucking the national trend.

Generally, it takes many years to build-up a strong reputation. Kevin McNamara – MP for Hull North from 1966-2005 – did this and there was never a chance of him losing his seat. There are recently elected MPs who have managed this feat in a very short time though. James Cran was for many years the Conservative MP for Beverley and Holderness and it is fair to say he was far from popular. In 2001, he hung on to his seat with a very slim majority of 781. His successor, Graham Stuart, another Tory, has campaigned hard in his constituency. He latches on to popular, local issues and although there are some who say if there is a bandwagon, he’ll jump on it, he will be re-elected in four weeks with a much larger majority. His constituents know who he is and they like him.

Now back to Hull North. Diana Johnson – pictured right - was elected in the same year as Mr Stuart; 2005. From my perspective, she has done very little for her constituents. She campaigned to keep local post offices open, but when they closed, she voted to close others nationally. There is a lesson here. If you are going to campaign on popular issues, you have to remain consistent. The LibDems have crucified her on this issue, and rightly so. She has not made a mark in the same way neighbouring MP Graham Stuart has and since the last general election Hull City Council ceased to be controlled by her party. Life has changed, but it seems Ms Johnson has not moved with the times.

The LibDem candidate is someone with a name you will never forget; Denis Healy. For him to win this seat, he will need a 13% swing from Labour. On paper, this seems insurmountable. In reality, it isn’t. The LibDems have thrown everything at this seat, including the kitchen sink. We are regularly reminded that Hull North is a two-horse race. I’ve joked with Carl Minns, leader of Hull City Council, that I intend to report him to the RSPCA. Those two horses have been flogged enough over the years, however, this approach is proving successful. You would think Diana Johnson would be fighting back as hard, wouldn’t you? The answer is no. I’ve barely heard from her, although I understand from informed sources she doesn’t have the necessary foot-soldiers to deliver leaflets and her campaign chest is desperately lacking in cash.

Only a fool would predict the outcome of the general election at this stage. I am going to make one prediction though. Hull North will be a Liberal Democrat gain. It will be a small majority – probably between 1000 to 2000 votes – but a majority nonetheless, and herein lies a lesson. If you are elected to what is regarded as a safe seat, work it as if it was a marginal. You never know when the wind of change will blow, and if you are found wanting, the wind will blow you away.

John Prescott accused of ‘click fraud’

2010-04-07T20:52:00.001+01:00

Last week I reported how the former deputy prime minister, John Prescott, reversed in to a car and then drove off. Now he’s in the news again for all the wrong reasons.

Today he has been accused of ‘click fraud.’ This is being reported by BBC News.

In a post on his Twitter page on 6 April, Mr Prescott wrote: "Click here http://bit.ly/RinseCashcroft then click on Labour Have Failed = 50p out of the Tories warchest. Let's do this! #ukelection."

What the public wants in this election is an intelligent debate on the major issues affecting our country. John Prescott wants to bring everything down to the lowest common denominator, and indulge in silly, childish politics. There are some things in life that never change.

Who reads the papers? Hacker explains

2010-04-05T20:15:00.001+01:00

As we prepare for the general election starting gun tomorrow, here’s Jim Hacker explaining who reads the papers. Hilarious!

Johnson Beharry, V.C., snubs the PM

2010-04-05T19:42:00.001+01:00

I know through my work how underequipped members of the armed forces have been during the last few years. Lately, when any general retires, we hear the same story. There are so many people repeating the same story, it has to be true. A Royal Marine told me a couple of years ago the British had a reputation of being scroungers. They had not option. They didn’t have the proper kit they needed, and the Americans did.

For Victoria Cross holder, Johnson Beharry, to snub the prime minister in the way he did shows how the trust between our men and women in uniform and the government has eroded. Mr Beharry is not the first to publicly criticise the PM. He is joining a long list of disaffected people who are angry they have been sent to war without essential equipment.

Whatever the outcome of the general election, one thing is for certain. No government should ever send our troops to war without doing everything it can to ensure their safety. Our troops know when they sign on the dotted line there is the potential of fighting in volatile situations. They also know they have no other choice but to follow the orders they are given. A government that takes advantage of this by fighting wars ‘on the cheap’ deserves everything it gets. It seems as if the chickens are coming home to roost on this subject, and rightly so.

The official fight is about to begin

2010-04-05T12:44:00.001+01:00

Are you getting excited? In the Red Corner, we have Gordon Brown, once described as the clunking fist. Things went well for him at first, and seemed to be landing a few killer blows, but he bottled it in the ‘Inheritance Tax’ fight, and everything went south. He eventually decided to get a new coach in Peter ‘Bruiser’ Mandelson, but will Lord Mandy desert his charge, even if he wins the fight and mentor a new protégé?

In the Blue Corner, we have David Cameron. His footwork is rather nifty, and like a previous champion, Tony ‘Teflon’ Blair, he talks a good fight, and lands a few blows, but has he got what it takes to win the heavyweight championship? His main backer, Lord ‘Offshore’ Ashcroft hasn’t helped him in the popularity stakes, and some of his team are not helping him get fighting fit. George ‘Lightweight’ Osborne is struggling to help his man in the heavyweight competition.

There is another pretender to the crown, and if neither of them can manage a knock-out on May 6, Nick ‘King Maker’ Clegg will be there as one of the judges deciding the competition on points. Alongside him is Vince ‘The Sage’ Cable. He’s a wily old bird who will ensure the King Maker makes the right decision.

Unfortunately, this fight is predicted to be dirty, and expect some low punches along the way, but those who predicted Cameron would be the easy winner a few months ago, are now not so sure. Brown may not land a killer blow, but he could do enough to see off his rival and Clegg and Cable could hand him victory.

What now for South Africa after Terreblanche?

2010-04-04T12:50:00.001+01:00

Eugene Terreblanche was a nasty thug. He was determined to keep South Africa a white supremacist state at all costs. He didn’t give a jot for anyone who wasn’t white, but his murder raises concerns about the future of South Africa.

Is is estimated more than 3000 white farmers have been killed since the end of apartheid in 1994. South Africa’s political leadership has failed to address this problem, and has brushed it under the carpet. For more than a decade commentators have said the country is a tinderbox ready to be set on fire. We are still waiting for this bloodshed to happen, and hope it will not, but unless South Africa has leadership, the inevitable will happen. President Jacob Zuma is incapable of leading. He is completely out of his depth, and his country needs someone strong who will come down hard on anyone – black or white – who wants to return to the days of violence and mass murder.

The Football World Cup is only two months away. I have never thought South Africa was an appropriate host nation. I have always thought the country had too many problems that were not going away. I fear for the safety of football supporters attending the tournament who I don’t believe will be safe. If there is a return to murder and violence after the killing of Terreblance, it is doubtful whether the World Cup will even take place. For everyone’s sake, I hope there will be peace and stability.

The Three Chancellors

2010-04-03T20:58:00.001+01:00

I’m a little late writing about the debate between ‘The Three Chancellors.’ It was hard at the time thinking about something constructive to write, and five days on, time has not made it any easier.

Those of you who watched it will know what I’m talking about. I found it one of the most unedifying pieces of political theatre I have seen in Britain. I didn’t learn anything new. George Osborne looked and sounded like a boy in a man’s world. Vince Cable and Alistair Darling never – from memory – referred to their party leaders. Not so with Osborne. He uses David Cameron as his crutch. Darling and Cable looked at him with distain, but this wasn’t surprising. Both of them are left-wing politicians and it is fair to say Cable is vastly more left-wing than Darling. Cable couldn’t disguise his distain for wealthy people. Why else would he come up with a mansion tax? Playing the politics of envy is something that should be confined to the dustbin of politics, and although Vince is economically qualified to be Chancellor, politically I wouldn’t touch him with a bargepole.

Now to the current incumbent of 11 Downing Street. One could be forgiven for thinking the last 13 years saw an economic miracle in Britain and none of the fallout of the last couple of years had anything to do with the government. Darling was given an easy ride.

So who would I want as Chancellor of the Exchequer? None of them. One is economically illiterate. One is entrenched in the politics of envy and one is in a state of denial. I think you can put the names to the descriptions.

Double-standards Mandelson?

2010-04-03T18:21:00.001+01:00

Lord Mandelson has had a pop at Bob Diamond, the head of Barclays Investment Bank, describing him as the unacceptable face of banking.

Many would describe Peter Mandelson as the unacceptable face of politics, but leaving this aside, why has his lordship singled out Mr Diamond? Barclays didn’t receive handouts of our cash a year and a half ago. If the report from BBC News is accurate, he also didn’t receive a bonus in 2008 or 2009.

If Mr Diamond had been working for a state-run bank, then I would have criticised his pay packet, as this money should have been going back to the taxpayer. All Mandelson is trying to do is divert attention away from the government’s woes, and score some brownie points with the voters by attacking greedy bankers.

His lordship is one of the most greedy, egotistical politicians we have seen in Britain. Pot calling the kettle black?

A bump in the car park at Craven Park

2010-04-02T20:17:00.002+01:00

This afternoon I ventured to Craven Park, the home of Hull Kingston Rovers Rugby League Football Club. Good Friday is the traditional day for a derby between Rovers and Hull FC. As a black and white, I am pleased to report Rovers were beaten, 18-14. Thankfully, at the end of the game I returned to my car, found it undamaged and joined a rather long queue to leave the ground.

Unfortunately for someone else, they returned to their car to see someone had reversed into it. I hate it when that happens, don’t you? But who could be the culprit?

A friend of Cllr John Fareham, the leader of the Conservative Group on Hull City Council, sent him this story:

The players were coming out and getting into their cars to go home before we got out!One laugh (and cause of frustration) was that John Prescott was parked just behind Rob's car (who gave us a lift, today) - Rob was blocking him in so JP backed the jag - into the car behind him but he didn't bother about that!! - into a space and then shot off round the back of all the queuing cars. We assumed the one or two remaining stewards stopped other cars to let him out!!

So there we have it. The former Deputy Prime Minister backed into another car and didn’t stop, and didn’t leave his details and was then given priority as he exited the ground. Cllr Fareham has written to Hull Kingston Rovers about this matter. Hopefully Mr Prescott will be brought to justice.

UPDATE: Apparently, there was no real damage done to the car, but John Prescott was off like a bat out of hell. Even so, he should still have arranged for his details to be passed on to the owner of the car he bumped. There may be some damage no-one noticed after an initial inspection. Poor show, JP.

News

2010-04-01T21:36:00.001+01:00

At the beginning of March I was in London for a meeting with Matthew Elliott, chief executive of the Taxpayers’ Alliance. This was a follow-up meeting after our meet-up over Christmas.

I am now a part-time employee of the TPA, building on my voluntary role in Hull and the East Riding of Yorkshire. As a result of this, my blogging has been confined to writing for the Hull & East Riding TPA blog. Those posts are now being published on the main TPA website.

I will still be writing here from time to time, and will endeavour to increase the frequency when the general election campaign formally gets under way. As yet, I have not decided whether to continue with this blog after the election.

Hull City Council awards a £200K grant for ornamental toads

2010-03-13T13:16:00.001Z

Here’s a story for you in the ‘you couldn’t make it up’ category. Surely this money can be better spent?

Interview on Radio Humberside

2010-02-28T13:34:00.002Z

I was interviewed by Lara King on BBC Radio Humberside two days ago about my work as a driving instructor. It is available on iPlayer until Friday 5 March. Click here to listen. It is 1 hour, 14 minutes, 15 seconds in.

The rise of the National Front

2010-02-23T15:00:00.001Z

This is a report from the Politics Show in Yorkshire and Lincolnshire, broadcast last Sunday. It seems many BNP branches are defecting to the National Front en masse, because the BNP is too liberal for them.

I was pushed into fourth place by the National Front in a council by-election in Hull last year and was asked to contribute to the report.

The Tories should be miles ahead in the polls

2010-02-21T13:16:00.001Z

There was a time – as little as few months ago – when many Conservatives were wandering the country in dizzy expectation of a bumper Tory victory at the next general election. There may still be a few deluded souls left, but now the rank and file of the Conservative Party are all too well aware there is a real possibility their hopes may be dashed as the voters decide whom they want to be prime minister.

The Tories should have been miles ahead in the polls. This current government has vandalised just about everything it has touched. A strong economy, with controlled public spending and borrowing has given way to an expansion of the client state, with reckless spending and borrowing that has not put Britain in a unique position to weather the current economic storm.

It has been the most anti-libertarian government anyone can remember. CCTV everywhere, the largest DNA database in the world and the big brother state interfering in our lives in ways unimaginable 10 years ago.

Immigration has spiralled out of control, with the government admitting it doesn’t know how many immigrants have entered the country. This has lead to resentment and has helped the rise of the National Front and the BNP.

The main problem the main political parties face at the next general election is the sheer amount of minority parties who will be standing. Labour will lose out to the National Front and the BNP and the Conservatives will lose out to UKIP. No serious commentator will predict those parties will elect an MP, but they can take away votes from the main parties and in critical marginal seats this could be the margin between victory or defeat.

I have written many times about what David Cameron and the Conservative Party needs to do to win. The voters don’t want some middle of the road Tony Blair Mk II. The want a radical government lead by a prime minister who is not afraid to make tough choices. Public spending has to be drastically cut, but neither Labour, Conservatives or the Liberal Democrats are proposing the sort of policies we need to get the public finances back on their feet again. The approach seems to be tinker here and tinker there, and the voters are not stupid. They see through this and there is a very real danger they will cast their votes to the ‘better the devil you know party’ rather than what should be the government in waiting.

Unless ‘Team Cameron’ gets the tough messages across, and wins support for its honesty, I think we will have a hung parliament, and I have no idea who will be the largest party. Normally elections are lost by governments. This year, I think the election could be lost by the main opposition bring frightened to tell the country the truth.

Jeff Randall in the Telegraph

2010-02-19T17:57:00.001Z

An excellent article by Jeff Randall in the Telegraph. A plain speaking, on the money analysis of what is wrong in Britain, using the lessons from history and giving advise to David Cameron.

Oppose the death tax

2010-02-19T17:29:00.001Z

William Roache, better known as Ken Barlow in Coronation Street, speaks out against a possible death tax to fund care for the elderly.

We need a British Tea Party Movement

2010-02-14T11:52:00.001Z

The Tea Party Movement in the United States has taken the country by storm. Its supporters include some of the least well off in American society. I was asked by Dr David Runciman on Radio 4 why this was. It’s an easy question to answer. Those who are poorer have a difficult task in balancing their families books. If they can do it, they expect the government to do it too.

We need a tea party style movement in the UK. We have to give politicians of all parties a clear message. We cannot continue on the road we are travelling. The public finances are in a parlous state already. Continually trying to spend our way out of a recession will mean the country is bankrupt. Tough choices are going to have to be made. There will have to be drastic cuts in public spending. You cannot tinker here and tinker there. It will not work. We need a bonfire of the Quangos. We have to look at what we want government to do. It is not the job of government to meddle. We want our freedoms back. We are sick and tired of the bully state interfering in our lives. We also want this country to regain its sovereignty and this means we need to leave the EU.

Present these ideas to the voters and you will get support. Not everyone will agree with everyone; of course not, but you will get broad support. When Winston Churchill became prime minister he didn’t sugar coat the pill. He told the British people the truth. ‘I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears and sweat’, he said. Telling the truth and not caring about focus groups, is what leadership is about. I don’t think we are going to get this leadership unless we take action. We have to be a constant thorn in the sides of politicians. I believe – and I know I am not alone –this is the only way we can effect the change we want in Britain.

Government spends more on advertising

2010-02-14T11:00:00.001Z

The government has increased spending on advertising by 40% in the past year. Nothing to do with an upcoming general election, I’m sure!

Hat Tip: BBC News

We should all work a 21-hour week according to think tank

2010-02-14T10:46:00.001Z

Just as the economy splutters its way out of a recession (with no assurances it will not fall back in the current quarter), the left-wing think tank, The New Economics Foundation, has come up with a new report. We should all work a 21-hour week. No more than that, as this would help reduce unemployment, give us more time to spend with our families and perform civic duties. The fact we won’t be able to pay our bills, seems to be irrelevant. The facts some people will want to work more hours, employers will lose flexibility, and the economy will suffer, seems to be unimportant too.

Why is it those on the left want to restrict our freedom of choice? Why is they want to interfere in almost every aspect of our lives, because they know better?

This report should be filed in the usual place, or even better, shredded. It should certainly not be seen in the light of day again.

English Speaking Taxi Drivers? Who knows in Southampton

2010-02-04T16:34:00.001Z

Here’s another one in the ‘you couldn’t make it up category.’

Taxi Drivers in Southampton have been displaying the flag of St George in their windscreens with the words ‘English Speaking Driver’ written on the flag. What’s wrong with that? Nothing, but the jobsworths in Southampton Council have threatened those taxi drivers, giving them the ultimatum, take them out or lose your licence.

Yet another example of petty bureaucrats pandering to the political correctness lobby. If there were signs in the front of taxis stating French driver or whatever, no-one would bat an eyelid, but if you state you speak English because there are many taxi drivers who do not speak English, you are denounced as a racist.

I’m sure the officials who came up with this ridiculous policy also denounce the BNP. What they don’t realise is their actions only pander to the true racists and hand them support and therefore votes. Come on Southampton Council. Reverse this policy and let the law abiding taxi drivers of your city get on with earning a living without having the bully state breathing down their necks.

Harman scuppers Commons reform

2010-01-28T22:59:00.001Z

There is something very undemocratic about the way the executive holds sway in our legislature. Surely the elected representatives of the people should have more power to hold the executive to account? Yes it should, but in reality, this seldom happens.

If anything remotely contentious is wending its way through parliament, you can guarantee the government will at some stage use a guillotine motion to stifle debate and therefore scrutiny. The power of the whips remains supreme in appointing members of select committees. You have to be a good boy or girl if you want to get on and hold any position of influence. If you are a maverick, life will be very hard for you.

Ben Farrugia highlights in this article how once again reform of the House of Commons is going to be blocked by the government. Changes that could and would have made a difference to democracy in this country will not happen in the lifetime of this parliament because of a procedural trick played by Harriet Harman.

Ben describes this as a complete and utter disgrace. He is right. One day this country will become a democracy again, instead of an elected dictatorship.

ID cards for students and fingerprinting in schools

2010-01-27T22:54:00.001Z

From the Freedom Association, via Big Brother Watch.

Another school is about to start using biometrics in the school dining hall. Although there are many doubts about security, it seems head teachers and governing bodies are willing to condition our children into thinking handing over their biometric details is a normal thing to do.

Big Brother Watch also reported on Monday about the latest wheeze from the government, who are targeting students by encouraging them to buy a biometric ID card for what it regards as the bargain price of £30.

I am sure I am not alone in thinking because the majority of people are against ID cards, the government is trying to ensure it brainwashes young people into thinking they are the way forward.

The battle against the bullying and intrusive state continues.

Blocked on Twitter by Diana Johnson MP

2010-01-21T19:15:00.001Z

I have written on a few occasions about my MP, Diana Johnson. Yesterday, I found out she has blocked me on Twitter. Strange really, as I have never contacted her on Twitter before. I was recommended to follow her by Labour’s Twitter Tsar, Kerry McCarthy MP. Here are some tweets exchanged between Kerry and I late last night and earlier today:

@KerryMP You advised me a couple of weeks ago to follow my MP Diana Johnson. Just to inform you, I can't. She's blocked me.

@andrew_allison What did u do to deserve that?

@KerryMP I don't know why she's blocked me, other than my political opposition to her. I haven't been personally abusive.

@andrew_allison Have u been bombarding her though? U say not personally abusive which suggests abusive in non-personal way?

@KerryMP I've not even sent her a message. All I have done is disagree with her politically and state I think she does her job badly. That's politics.

That was the end of the conversation. I don’t know why some people get involved in politics. If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen. Unfortunately, I am represented in parliament by someone who doesn’t want to enter into a debate. Instead, all she does is tow the party line, which has enabled her to be appointed an Under Secretary of State for Schools. To hear what she is like, listen to an interview she gave this morning to Andy Comfort on BBC Radio Humberside. Scroll in 1 hour and 8 minutes.

Instead of addressing the concerns of the Headmaster of Beverley Grammar School (which is no longer a Grammar School in the traditional sense), all she does is come out with a tractor load of statistics. I did listen to the whole interview in the car this morning, although I must confess my finger hovered more than once over the off switch.

DVLA makes £43.9 million selling your personal details

2010-01-20T20:42:00.001Z

If you want to be able to drive a car in the UK, you must apply for a provisional licence. This is the start of the paper trail DVLA in Swansea has on you. When you pass your driving test, buy a car and register it, DVLA must know about it. It even knows who you insurer is and your policy number. In other words, you have no option but to hand over all sorts of personal details to this particular government agency.

What then gives it the right to sell you details to other companies? None at all, but it does, and has made a healthy £43.9 million thus far. You would also think DVLA would be choosy who it divulges your information to. Wrong. Some of the recipients are dodgy car clamping companies.

Is there any wonder identity fraud is on the increase when a government agency isn’t choosy who it sells information to?

Hat Tip: Big Brother Watch

The devastation and chaos in Haiti

2010-01-17T22:13:00.001Z

To donate to the aid effort, click HERE.

Aid plane stopped from landing in Haiti

2010-01-17T21:24:00.001Z

Medicins Sans Frontieres has issued a very angry press release. Apparently, one of its aeroplanes carrying aid into Haiti was prevented from landing by the US to make way for Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton.

Why do politicians insist on disrupting aid efforts? There are professionals on the ground who can relay to national governments what is required in the way of aid. Just let them get on with their work. I also understand Hillary’s hubby is due to travel to Haiti too. Another photo opportunity there, which is all these visits are good for. It’s no wonder Medicins Sans Frontieres is so annoyed.

Nick Clegg is proving to be an effective leader

2010-01-16T18:14:00.001Z

I haven’t had much time to blog this week. I have been busy working on a couple of campaigns and praying the sun will come out tomorrow, as we haven’t seen the sun in this part of the world for a week. If the weather forecasters have got it right, tomorrow is the day the sun will return. I hope so, as I am going to the Richard Horne testimonial game tomorrow. For those who haven’t a clue what I’m talking about, it is a testimonial match featuring Hull FC versus Hull Kingston Rovers. The sport is Rugby League and there is no love lost between the two clubs. It should be a good day. I’m with the black and whites of Hull FC, before anyone asks. (Cue hate mail from those in East Hull)

Getting back to politics, I was rather impressed with Nick Clegg during this past week. He spoke sense. There are many policy aspirations a political party has. When you are faced with the dire economic situation engulfing us at the moment, many of those aspirations go out of the window. Compare and contrast with Labour who think we can afford to give new laptop computers to schoolchildren. We can’t. I suggested to a friend this was a direct bribe to Labour’s core voters. He thinks it’s part of the scorched earth policy of leaving the nation’s finances in the worst state possible when Brown & Co. leave office. Perhaps it’s a bit of both.

Nick Clegg is leading the Liberal Democrats well. He has one of the most difficult jobs in politics as leader of the main minority party. Yes, the Lib Dems are the second party in local government, but we all know after the next general election they are not going to become the official opposition in Westminster. I think the Lib Dems will increase the number of MPs though, probably by about 20-30. In key marginal seats where they are the main opposition to Labour, they are going to do well. Nick Clegg’s leadership will play a big part in this.

The next election is going to prove the most interesting one we have had since 1979. I can’t wait.

Trinity House School, Hull, starts fingerprinting students

2010-01-13T18:32:00.001Z

From the Big Brother Watch Blog :

Just before Christmas, Tory PPC Andrea Leadsom wrote a guest piece about her discovery that schools were regularly taking the fingerprints of their students as a means of identification.

In her post, she said that she would be writing to her local council to ask that they reject any attempts by schools in her area to introduce fingerprint scans.

However, today we have been called by a supporter in Hull who has flagged that a school in his local area has begun gathering fingerprints despite the objections of the council leader.

As reported by the Hull Daily Mail:

City council leader Carl Minns has criticised Hull Trinity House School for installing a biometric fingerprint system for pupils to get their school meals.

Councillor Minns says it goes against guidance issued to schools by the council.

The school, in Princes Dock Street, city centre, started using the system this week. Cllr Minns told the Mail: "My principal objection is on the grounds of information security.

"At some point the school will have to store a child's data on a computer and if it is subject to hacking or proper security is not there, then once the data is out there, it is out there for life and you can't get it back."

In recent days Big Brother Watch has been encouraging its supporters to bombard several misbehaving local councils, so it is refreshing to see a council leader showing such commonsense and concern for individual privacy.

Councillor Carl Minns we applaud you for this stance and we will keep our readers updated on the progress of the council in getting Hull Trinity House School to reverse its position.

By Dylan Sharpe

How long is the queue to knife Brown?

2010-01-10T20:41:00.001Z

Gordon Brown is not liked, not respected, not trusted and is unpopular. I’m talking about those who work with him, not the electorate, although I’m sure it can be said of them too.

Peter Watt’s latest revelations are another damaging blow for Gordon Brown. I don’t think this will be last knife to be thrust into the prime minster’s back before the next election. I think there is a queue in formation as I write.

Cameron on Marr

2010-01-10T20:27:00.001Z

Today was David Cameron’s turn to be interviewed by Andrew Marr. I wasn’t looking forward to this interview. I feared it would be full of generalisations and he wouldn’t be specific.

He was better than I thought he would be. He detailed the help a Conservative government would give to small businesses, which included making it quicker to be able to start a small business and preventing private landlords forbidding people from running a business from their home address. For me, this is far too little.

I have argued the case on abolishing Regional Development Agencies before. Billions of pounds of taxpayers’ money has been thrown at these agencies and in every key performance indicator, they have failed. They have not reduced economic disparity between the English Regions, nor have they been drivers of economic change and the rate of businesses registering for VAT has slowed down since their introduction over ten years ago.

The Taxpayers’ Alliance has researched this subject and has recommended they be abolished and some of the money saved could be used to reduce the rate of corporation tax paid by small businesses. This would help entrepreneurs stay in business, encourage people to start-up their own business and help create more jobs. If David Cameron is serious, this is the sort of announcement he should have been making this morning. His announcements are welcome, but are not enough. He has to be radical.

At the risk of boring my readers, unless he proposes truly radical change, he will not seal the deal with the voters. Too many see him as Tony Blair Mk II. Margaret Thatcher was elected three times because the voters trusted her to get on with the job. Many of them didn’t like her, but they still voted Conservative. Being touchy, feely is all well and good, but you want a prime minister to lead, be tough and not be frightened of being unpopular because of the hard decisions they have to make. A prime minister needs to be trusted and respected, not loved. Brown is not trusted or respected by the majority, but Cameron is not that far in front of him.

Tenants Services Authority cost us £38 million

2010-01-10T11:20:00.001Z

Have you heard of the Tenants Services Authority? The chances you have not, but it costs the taxpayer £38 million. This Quango can hardly describe itself as a hub of activity. In its first year it managed to sort out just twelve complaints. The remaining 396 were passed to other organisations to deal with, according to the News of the World.

And how much does its chief executive get paid? A whopping £160,939, plus a £17,351 bonus! It’s clear this Quango is ready for the bonfire. The sooner, the better.

Hewitt and Hoon’s letter to Labour MPs

2010-01-06T12:55:00.001Z

This is a copy of the letter Patricia Hewitt and Geoff Hoon have sent out to all Labour MPs. I’ve got this courtesy of ToryPolitico.

“Dear Colleague,

As we move towards a General Election it remains the case that the Parliamentary Labour Party is deeply divided over the question of the leadership. Many colleagues have expressed their frustration at the way in which this question is affecting our political performance. We have therefore come to the conclusion that the only way to resolve this issue would be to allow every member to express their view in a secret ballot.
This could be done quickly and with minimum disruption to the work of MPs and the Government. Whatever the outcome the whole of the party could then go forward, knowing that this matter had been sorted out once and for all.

Strong supporters of the Prime Minister should have no difficulty in backing this approach. There is a risk otherwise that the persistent background briefing and grumbling could continue up to and possibly through the election campaign, affecting our ability to concentrate all of our energies on getting our real message across.
Equally those who want change, should they lose such a vote, would be expected by the majority of the PLP to devote all of their efforts to winning the election. The implications of such a vote would be clear – everyone would be bound to support the result.

This is a clear opportunity to finally lay this matter to rest. The continued speculation and uncertainty is allowing our opponents to portray us as dispirited and disunited. It is damaging our ability to set out our strong case to the electorate. It is giving our political opponents an easy target.

In what will inevitably be a difficult and demanding election campaign, we must have a determined and united parliamentary party. It is our job to lead the fight against our political opponents. We can only do that if we resolve these distractions. We hope that you will support this proposal.

Yours fraternally,

Geoff Hoon and Patricia Hewitt”

“70 million is too many” – a cross party group says

2010-01-06T12:16:00.001Z

Whilst the main political parties squabble and score points from each other, a press release was issued today on immigration. Not from any of the party leaders, but from the Cross Party Group on Balanced Migration, headed by Frank Field and Nicholas Soames. Here is an extract:

"Poll after poll shows the public to be deeply concerned about immigration and its impact on our population. Yet, as we enter the General Election campaign, neither party has promised the British people that they will prevent our population hitting 70 million. It is time the parties turned their rhetoric into reality by making manifesto commitments to prevent our population reaching 70 million by 2029."

Immigration is a subject being talked about in pubs, workplaces and homes throughout the country. Hopefully this press release will jolt Messrs Brown, Cameron and Clegg into action. We need to have a balanced and adult debate about this issue. This is what the voters want. More HERE.

I’m sick of the so-called election campaign already

2010-01-06T09:17:00.001Z

We’ve had four days of the so-called election campaign, and quite frankly, I’m bored with it already. Labour has been making promises it knows it can’t keep. The Conservatives put out the awful poster of an airbrushed David Cameron promising not to cut NHS spending (as well as been forced on the back foot over tax breaks for married couples) and Nick Clegg manages to get himself into a corner with Nicky Campbell on Radio 5 over whether he could say anything positive about the prime minister.

If this is going to be the standard over the next few months, I fear this election is going to a big ‘turn-off’ for the electorate.

The Conservative Party’s uphill climb

2010-01-03T19:46:00.001Z

Yesterday, David Cameron; today it was Gordon Brown’s turn to kick-off his party’s general election campaign. Contrary to other commentators’ opinions, I think the prime minister’s interview with Andrew Marr this morning was far from a disaster.

I know he was, in general, talking a load of rubbish, but it comes across as believable rubbish. We know the government is not going to half the budget deficit in four years, however, will the British public, who do not know the full extent of the crisis we are facing, realise that? In times of economic doom and gloom, the natural reaction is to look for hope. Brown states he has averted a devastating recession. Small businesses who would have gone out of business are still trading. Home repossessions are down. Unemployment would have been much worse if it was not for Brown. ‘We got it right’, he says, ‘and the Conservatives got every major call wrong.’

Is this is a message of hope? No. But it is a message saying if the other lot were in power, we would all be in a worse position than we are now. Brown went on to talk about fairness, making sure everyone in life has a chance. Does this push the right buttons for a floating voter? Perhaps and considering the Conservative Party has not ‘sealed the deal’ with the voters yet, if I was David Cameron, I would be worried. The electorate mistrust Brown. They want him out of power, but, and it is a big but, they are still not sold on Cameron’s Conservatives.

There is a long way to go before we all cast our votes. We have the prospect of the Leaders’ Debates, which will make a big difference. Perhaps Cameron will seal the deal then. If he doesn’t, I get the impression many people will look at the two main parties and think ‘better the devil you know.’ Worse still for the Conservative Party, they may cast their votes for minor parties and split the vote in key marginal seats, letting Labour in by the back door.

I have said many times before, the only way Cameron can get his party back into power is by being radical. The Conservative Party’s job between now and the election is twofold. It has to convince once and for all that the mess we are in at the moment lies at the feet of Gordon Brown. He has spent and borrowed recklessly. He has increased the size of the client state. If Labour get a fourth term in office, expect more of the same. The country will be bankrupt. Conservatives have to convince the voters under Labour inequality has risen. Education is being micro-managed with devastating effects. Despite spending on the NHS rising, our hospitals are failing. Brown did not offer any public sector reform in his interview today. Instead he reverted to his failsafe option that under a Cameron government there would be vicious cuts.

The Conservative Party’s second job is to convince the voters it has the policies to get Britain back on its feet again. It is not enough for David Cameron not to be Gordon Brown. For Cameron to become prime minister with a good working majority, he needs to prove he has what it takes. This is what he is failing on and as for policies, we can only hope the first part of the manifesto published tomorrow will give us some idea. I know what the vision is. I know what the party is not going to do. I also know some of the things the party will do, but I don’t know enough and more importantly neither do the voters.

The Conservative Party should be soaring in the polls. It is not. If Cameron cannot connect with the voters between now and the election, my view is we will have a minority Conservative government where nothing much is going to get done. This will not be in the best interests of the country.

Simon Heffer on Jack Straw

2010-01-02T15:59:00.001Z

In today’s Telegraph, Simon Heffer reminds Jack Straw of a few home truths. Here is an extract.

Since Labour has an election to win, and since if it doesn't win it Jack Straw will probably be a candidate to pick up the poisoned chalice of leading the party, it is little wonder the Justice Secretary has jumped on the police-bashing bandwagon. He knows most people only encounter the police when being stopped for a minor motoring offence, or when the police are failing to clear up a deeply distressing crime. He knows how dismayed the public is by stories in the media about the police pursuing people who (for example) express disapproval of homosexuals, while failing to pursue burglars. So, in the words of one senior officer who disliked Mr Straw's remarks, this was a cheap shot.

In fact, his comments were worse than that – they reeked of hypocrisy. It was in Mr Straw's four years as home secretary from 1997 to 2001 that the cancerous attitudes that have benighted our police really set in – and they were led from the Home Office. The police ceased to be a force and became a service. They ceased to be a crime-fighting operation and became instead an instrument for the imposition of political correctness. New Labour came in to power with a set of beliefs about minorities of all sorts, and sought to make the police the enforcers of that creed. The wheels fell off at that point.

It’s hard to disagree with him. Since coming to power, Labour has done everything it can to neutralise the effectiveness of police officers by creating more than 3000 new offences and giving them more burdensome and in many cases, unnecessary paperwork to complete. Ministers praise the police when it is expedient for them and criticise them if they think they can get votes out of it.

To read the full article, click HERE.

Polly Toynbee’s message to the Labour Party

2010-01-02T15:37:00.001Z

It’s not often I agree with Polly Toynbee. She is one of those people who has hypocrisy written all over her. She complains the rich are avoiding tax, even though the newspaper she works for has effective tax avoidance measures.

Forget all that. Today she has spoken some sense. In today’s Guardian she writes,

“The death-wish brigade will let Brown crash his party. As Labour skids downhill at breakneck speed, self-interest and old rivalries paralyse those who could yet slow the descent.”

To read the article in full, click HERE. For once, it is worth reading and it should not make your blood pressure rise.

Cameron launches the Conservative Election Campaign

2010-01-02T12:17:00.001Z

It’s January 2, and today David Cameron kicked-off the Conservative Party’s election campaign. On Monday, the first part of the manifesto will be published and no doubt Labour and the Liberal Democrats will be out of the blocks soon. I suspect the British (unlike the Americans who are used to long election campaigns) will be heartily sick of politics come the general election, whenever that will be.

Cameron’s big announcement was that he would invite the leaders of the other two main parties to sit in a war cabinet on a regular basis. He said this would not be every week, but it shows a Cameron government intends to get a consensus from all the main parties when the lives of our troops are at risk.

This – according to the Conservative Party - is the ‘year for change.’ This puts a positive spin on what will be, economically, a dire year. The country’s finances are in the most parlous state they have ever been in, however, Cameron will be doing all he can to convince voters life will be better under a Conservative government.

Time for change? Time will tell.

To read David Cameron’s full speech, click HERE.

Government spends £1 million on TV adverts

2010-01-01T15:39:00.001Z

If you want to know where some of your hard earned cash goes after you hand it over to the government, here’s one of the answers. The government has spent £1 million on a TV advert to encourage us to use its services online. Read more about the story HERE.

Jack Straw’s attack on the police

2010-01-01T15:08:00.001Z

Jack Straw should know better. He has been an MP since 1979 and started his ministerial career as Home Secretary in 1997. Saying ‘that some officers spun out paperwork so that they could stay in warm offices rather than fight crime on the streets’ is the cheapest of cheap shots. In many ways it is as true as it is cheap. You can say the same about every profession. There are lazy MPs, councillors, civil servants, teachers, nurses, doctors. The list goes on.

I have said before Tony Blair’s mantra of ‘Education, education, education’ in 1997 should have been ‘Legislation, legislation, legislation.’ Since this government came into power there are over 3000 more offences in Britain. Couple this with probably the most complicated and burdensome paperwork of any police force in the western world, it is hardly surprising many police officers feel disillusioned and lack motivation. Mr Straw should have thought about this before he opened his mouth. Once again this government shoots itself in the foot and gives its opponents more ammunition. If someone of Jack Straw’s experience can’t get it right, then their really isn’t much hope for the rest of them.

Predictions for Hull and East Yorkshire Parliamentary Seats

2010-01-01T15:01:00.001Z

I am not going to attempt to predict the outcome of the next general election, but I am going to give you my predictions for seats in Hull and East Yorkshire. There are seven seats in total:

Beverley and Holderness (Conservative)

The constituency’s MP is Graham Stuart. Replacing the rather ineffectual James Cran, Mr Stuart has proved himself as a hard-working, popular local MP and will easily retain his seat and increase his majority.

Brigg and Goole (Labour)

If the Conservatives are to stand any chance of forming a government, this is a seat that must be won. The current MP, Ian Cawsey, is holding on to a reasonably small 2894 majority, and it being pursued by Conservative, Andrew Percy. My prediction is Mr Cawsey will be looking for alternative employment after the election and Mr Percy will be the constituency’s MP.

East Yorkshire (Conservative)

This is a largely rural seat, encompassing the towns of Bridlington and Driffield. Even when times were bad for the Conservative Party, this seat voted blue. There is no doubt the current MP, Greg Knight, will be returned to the House of Commons.

Haltemprice and Howden (Conservative)

The seat, currently held by David Davis, is the safest in the country thanks to the by-election result in 2008. I’m sure readers will be aware that Mr Davis resigned as an MP to trigger a by-election after the government won a Commons’ vote in favour of 42 days detention without charge. As his main challenger, the Liberal Democrats, did not field a candidate, Mr Davis was returned to Westminster with a 15335 majority. In 2001, the LibDems nearly won this seat, but there is no doubt in 2010 David Davis will be re-elected as the constituency’s MP.

Hull East (Labour)

The seat, currently held by John Prescott since 1970, will have a new MP later this year. Mr Prescott is standing down and the Labour candidate is local man, Karl Turner. There would have to be a political earthquake for the people of East Hull to elect anything other than a Labour MP. This is as safe a Labour seat as you can get.

Hull North (Labour)

This is the seat everyone in political circles in the region is talking about. Diana Johnson has held the seat since 2005 and on paper it looks safe, but since the last election, Hull City Council has been in Liberal Democrat control. There could easily be an upset in this part of Hull and the LibDems will be pulling out all the stops to create an upset. This is the contest we are all looking forward to and currently, it is too close to call.

Hull West and Hessle (Labour)

This seat has been held by Home Secretary, Alan Johnson, since 1997. The former postman is a popular MP who has bonded well with his constituents. He will undoubtedly be re-elected and then who knows what is in store for him. For me, he is the best communicator Labour has and if anyone is going to get Labour back into shape again, it is Mr Johnson.

Happy New Year!

2010-01-01T11:20:00.001Z

Happy New Year to all my readers. Politically, 2009 was certainly an eventful year. It was a year when the standing of politicians sunk to an all time low. It was a year when Douglas Carswell set the ball rolling and for the first time anyone could remember, the Speaker of the House of Commons was forced out. Michael Martin should have gone much earlier. He was never up to the job and his supporters knew it. Unfortunately, instead of electing a new Speaker for all the right reasons, MPs decided to be tribal and the result was the awful John Bercow, who I sincerely hope will not be Speaker after the next general election.

In the Autumn of 2007, there was election fever. This fever continued at various times through 2008 and 2009. At least we now know 2010 will be an election year and the good news is that Harriet Harman will be fronting the Labour campaign. Labour’s ability to shoot itself in the foot seems to be one constant brought into the new year. Instead of using someone who could connect with the public – the obvious candidate being Alan Johnson – Labour uses someone who manages to alienate the voters with every utterance she makes.

On a personal note, I hope 2010 is the year we start tackling the advances of the bully state. David Cameron and his team have promised much in this area, but the proof of the pudding is always in the eating. Oppositions are great a promising things. It is up to those of us to feel passionately about the erosion of liberty in this country to make sure Cameron sticks to his promises if he does become prime minister.

I also hope 2010 is the year the campaign for Britain to leave the EU gathers momentum. I also hope this is the year we finally start trying to get to grips with the public finances. All of this will not happen unless Labour is out of power. This is the decision the voters will have to make. What a year this is going to be.

Hull City Council leader opposes outdoor smoking ban

2009-12-30T14:11:00.001Z

There have been some voices in the NHS in Hull who have been urging Hull City Council to ban outdoor smoking. The leader of the council, Carl Minns, has refused to countenance such a move, saying it would erode people’s civil liberties.

Click here to read the story as reported in the Hull Daily Mail and click here to read Cllr Minns’ blog post on this subject and the wider intolerance in public discourse.

How many council snoopers can enter your home?

2009-12-28T12:53:00.001Z

Big Brother Watch has sent out Freedom of Information requests to every council in the country, and the results are alarming. To find out more click HERE.

Happy Christmas!

2009-12-24T17:17:00.001Z

I’ve been rather busy of late preparing for Christmas and have therefore rather neglected this blog. I could comment on various issues, but to be honest, who the hell is interested in my opinions on politics on Christmas Eve? Deafening silence. I thought so.

Therefore, I wish everyone a very Happy Christmas and a prosperous New Year. Enjoy yourselves.

Christmas No. 1s ain’t what they used to be

2009-12-21T14:05:00.001Z

‘Rage Against the Machine’ has got the once coveted Christmas No.1 spot. I was wondering if this is the first time in the history of the charts that an artist/group has got to No.1 not because of its popularity, but because the public were trying to stop someone else?

Call me sentimental, but I like a song with a festive feel to be Christmas No. 1. As I am not going to get my wish, listen to the First Lady of Song, Ella Fitzgerald, singing a Christmas classic. In my humble opinion, better than most of the today’s singers put together. This is an upbeat version of the song made famous by Judy Garland in the film, ‘Meet me in St Louis.’ The words are also on the screen for you to sing along. Go on. You know you want to.

Near-record levels of snow in the US

2009-12-20T15:56:00.001Z

It’s not just the UK suffering from icy conditions. The Eastern seaboard of the US is suffering from near record levels of snow. Look at this video from Washington DC this morning. I’m grateful we don’t have it as bad.

#KerryOut Campaign is childish politics

2009-12-18T20:38:00.001Z

Most people will not have heard of Kerry McCarthy, the MP for Bristol East. She is Labour’s Twitter Tsar, charged with the difficult job of getting Labour’s message across on Twitter. I have had the odd discussion with her, as have many other conservative tweeters. Unsurprisingly, I don’t agree with her very much and she seems to have attracted a hate following from bloggers like Tory Bear.

None of that bothers me in the slightest. Adults using their right to freedom of speech is to be encouraged. What I cannot see the point of is the latest campaign called #KerryOut. In a nutshell, this campaign is trying to raise funds for the Conservative candidate in Bristol East, in a bid to oust Kerry McCarthy at the next general election. I think this campaign is childish. I want a change of government. I want Britain to move away from failed Labour policies and the only other party that can form a government is the Conservative Party. Britain cannot afford another five years of Labour. It cannot afford another five years of economic mismanagement and the bully state. As a Labour MP, Kerry thinks differently, but whether she remains an MP at the next election is up to the voters of Bristol East. It is up to them to decide if they agree with what she stands for and if she has been a good constituency MP. On the latter, I haven’t a clue how hard she works on behalf of her constituents. A big negative campaign to oust her will backfire. The campaign organisers are trying to present this as an independent campaign. This is simply untrue and the electorate in Bristol East will see through it. The British people do not like this sort of politics and voters may well come out and give her a sympathy vote.

To those conservatives backing this campaign, my advice is go out and get your local Conservative candidates elected and leave Bristol to local Conservatives there. This is the way we do it in Britain. An organised, national campaign against individual MPs is something I do not want to be involved with.

British Airways employees are turkeys voting for Christmas

2009-12-16T22:14:00.001Z

Here we are at the fag end of another Labour government. Just like 1978-79 - when the unions took control – we are now seeing the unions flexing their muscles once again.

I don’t know enough of the details to comment on the current British Airways dispute, but I do know that one great way to put BA out of business is for its employees to go on strike for twelve days over the Christmas period. Twelve days is so appropriate, and I’m sure the irony has not been lost on BA management.

What has amazed me is the way BA staff are so jubilant. This is truly a case of turkeys voting for Christmas. All I can say is if they want to be in gainful employment next year, they should encourage their negotiators to get a settlement before any of this foolishness begins. I also hope a settlement can be reached for the sake of those who are planning ‘once in a lifetime’ holidays and want to visit family in far off places. Many of those affected will not be able to afford to travel by other carriers and also lose thousands of pounds in the process.

If this is what the union and its members want, then so be it. All I can wish them is a very Happy Christmas and the least prosperous New Year they could wish for, as they are going to get it.

A disappointing day for Hull

2009-12-16T17:10:00.001Z

A very disappointing day. The awful weather and darkness at this time of year never puts me into a good mood, but the news Hull has lost out in its bid to be a host city for the England 2018 football World Cup bid is unfortunate to say the least.

I know there is a long way to go and there is every chance England will not be the host nation, but it would have been great to have the highest level of football on our doorsteps. We have a fantastic stadium, which would have been expanded. West Park, next door to the KC Stadium, would have made a great area for fans who do not have a ticket to watch the action on big screens. It would have been great for the city’s economy too and Hull has proved it can host major events, such as the Freedom Festival and the launch of the Round the World Clipper Race three months ago.

Hull gets a very bad press, but people who I talk to who are visiting the city for the first time, are pleasantly surprised by what they find. I now hope Hull and the East Riding can win its bid to be the city of culture. National and international exposure is vital for the area’s economic success.

Len Goodman on the Andrew Marr Show

2009-12-13T10:17:00.001Z

Len Goodman, the Strictly Come Dancing judge, admitted on the Andrew Marr Show he knows nothing about politics. He said he was uneducated and left school at 15.

He may well lack a formal education, but he will have struck a chord with many this morning. Len mentioned Gordon Brown said Britain was best placed to weather the economic storm, yet it has been proved we are not. Len is right when he says we need more honesty in politics. He said we should say when we get back on our feet again, we will be able to give Africa money to help fight climate change, but not now as we can’t afford to dole out £1.5 billion.

It will not be the intelligentsia who will be electing a new government next year. It will be people like Len Goodman, who do not complicate politics, but look at politics in a practical common sense way. Politicians take heed.

Darling in Wonderland again (with an eye to the next election)

2009-12-09T21:30:00.001Z

Alistair Darling did nothing today to reduce the budget deficit. He is overly optimistic about the recovery of the British economy. In many ways it is exactly the same opinion he had last year when I described him as ‘Darling in Wonderland.’ My opinion has not changed, therefore here’s what I wrote after his PBR in 2008:

Tinker here and there; fiddle here and there; lower some taxes now and raise them in 2010 and make sure the tax increases announced today are permanent.

This rather sums up today's Pre-Budget Report. Rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic is another way to describe a speech that was peppered with the words global, worldwide and America. It's not our fault, folks, this is all America's fault. We are just the victim of the crime, but we are in a strong position to recover, which indeed we will in about 12 months. This was Darling in Wonderland! How does he expect us to believe his forecasts for the coming years, when he couldn't get his forecasts right for the last seven months?

George Osborne gave a much better reply than I thought he would, however, the Conservatives are going to have to be truthful with the electorate. There must be a substantial reduction in the public sector. A Samurai sword needs to be wielded throughout Whitehall and we can start with disposing with all the thousands of non-jobs and QUANGOs duplicating the work of other QUANGOs. We have to reduce the size of the client state. We have to reassess the role government plays in our lives. I suppose these questions are for another day, but if Brown opts for a snap election next spring, time is running out.

Do you think Labour is going to get us out of this crisis? I leave up to you.

New footbridge opens in Workington

2009-12-07T07:12:00.001Z

Once again the British Army has proved why it is the best in the world. At 8.00am today a new footbridge will open in Workington. It has been built over the last ten days and will link the people of the town once again. Drivers still face an 18 mile journey, but if you can make it on foot, our soldiers have made your life easier. Well done to our boys.

More Brussels Interference

2009-12-06T17:43:00.001Z

I am not a scientist, but my understanding of a black hole is it acts like a vacuum cleaner, sucking in all types of matter. Perhaps this analogy best describes the EU. I don’t often publish a full post from another blogger/writer, but the following post from Mark Wallace of the Taxpayers’ Alliance highlights just how much Brussels controls our lives and how much money it sucks in to its bottomless pit.

The Evening Standard reports that Boris Johnson is faced with the possibility of having to ban cars entirely from London for several days or be slapped with a £300 million fine from the EU.

There is a wider debate to be had over why London is failing to hit its air quality targets, and how the capital ended up in this situation. However, in this pressing crisis, three things are clear:

1) Neither the people nor the elected representatives of London were ever asked about this target or these rules.

2) Taxpayers cannot afford to pay £300m more into the bottomless pit of Brussels. Nor would doing so improve the air quality of London in any way.

3) It would be devastating to the economy, not to mention the public transport system, if cars were banned even for a few days.

There is one straightforward and practical answer: we should refuse to pay the fine if we don't hit the target. It has no democratic legitimacy and as Tim Montgomerie points out on ConservativeHome there are certainly plenty of other European cities with far poorer air quality that do not penitently cough up a fortune to the EU for it.

As our polling found back in May, the public are up for a fight with Brussels - with 69% supporting a policy of disobeying EU rules, and 60% agreeing that we should refuse to pay EU fines.

The best way to cut back on hot air would be for Boris to tell the Eurocrats to get on their bikes.

Class Warfare is not what the voters want

2009-12-06T17:26:00.001Z

During the Crewe and Nantwich by-election, Labour rolled out its ‘Tory Toffs’ campaign. It was nasty and Gordon Brown distanced himself from it, although I did not believe the prime minister was out of the loop on this. I was called a toff too, which made me laugh. Being the son of a former railwayman from Co Durham, I am the last person you could accuse of being a toff. Labour’s campaign failed spectacularly and Edward Timpson was elected the Conservative MP for the constituency.

I thought Labour would abandon this approach. If it had any sense it would have done, but lately Brown and his henchmen have gone on the offensive and brought class warfare back on the political agenda. David Cameron had described this approach as ‘petty, spiteful and stupid.’ He is correct. Martin Luther King Jnr spoke of his hope of a society where ‘men are judged by the content of their character, not the colour of their skin.’ Gordon Brown should take heed of these words, and bring them up-to-date, because I don’t think for one moment the British people judge David Cameron on where he went to school or the size of his bank account. They judge him on his character and whether or not he has the right policies to move this country forward.

I am sure Gordon Brown wants a class war in the run-up to the next general election. It is in his interests to distract the voters from Labour’s record and its future plans to spend, spend, spend, without having the money available. If he pursues with this campaign tactic, it will backfire on him nationally in the same way it did in Crewe and Nantwich.

Link: Telegraph

Cameron strikes the right chord in Afghanistan

2009-12-05T14:49:00.001Z

David Cameron has struck the right chord during his visit to Afghanistan. He said on Today this morning that withdrawal is not an option, nor is the status quo. He is correct. President Obama’s announcement of more US troops is very welcome, although my only criticism of him on this matter is that he has taken too long to make the decision. There needs to be an increase in troop numbers so we can get the job done and get out. Those who think we should pull out now will give the Taliban a victory. I’m sure those advocating immediate withdrawal do not want terrorist training camps set-up again in Afghanistan, but this would be the result of a hasty exit.

Gordon Brown announced more British deployments this week, and now it is his job to explain to the British public why winning the war in Afghanistan is so important. This is something his government has singularly failed to do. He should also replace his hopeless Defence Secretary, Bob Ainsworth, with someone who is up to the job.

To listen to David Cameron’s interview, click here, and scroll down to 8.10.

Photo: AFP/GETTY

Edward McMillan Scott says ‘give up meat for a day’

2009-12-04T22:33:00.001Z

Edward McMillan-Scott, the (former Conservative) MEP for Yorkshire and the Humber, came out with a gem of a quote on Radio Humberside this morning. The subject was climate change. The enviro-fascists are now giving up on cars and planes. A few months ago transport was the biggest evil the planet knew. Now the line is ‘transport is only responsible for 13% of greenhouse gas emissions.’ The real culprit now is the farming industry, which is responsible for 18% of emissions. Paul McCartney has entered the fray saying for the sake of the environment, we should all eat less meat, and Mr McMillan-Scott thinks this is a campaign he should get behind.

He is a Catholic and as Catholics give up meat on a Friday and eat fish, he thinks this is a very good way of giving up meat for just one day. He also thought this would be very good for the fishing industry in the Humber region. He even had the temerity to say this would not upset farmers! What an out of touch prat this man is. What would be great for the fishing industry in the Humber region is the scrapping of the Common Fisheries Policy. This has ruined the fishing industry in this region. Of course, Edward wouldn’t want that, as this would upset his EU chums and he would lose his job and perks in the European Commission.

I have no desire to give up meat. I enjoy it, just like human beings have for countless centuries. I also enjoy fish and seafood. I enjoy vegetables too and eat what I want to without being made to feel guilty, no matter what the fascists say.

Diana Johnson looks finished as an MP

2009-12-03T16:50:00.001Z

‘Don’t panic, Mr Mainwaring’, said the eccentric Lance Corporal Jones in Dad’s Army. Of course he always panicked himself and he wanted reassurance from those around him. Diana Johnson, the Member of Parliament for Hull North is just like Jones, although perhaps not as funny.

She is known for making the most extraordinary statements. She was the one who campaigned for post offices in her constituency to be kept open, and then after the campaign was lost, voted for post offices to be closed elsewhere. Her rationale? Well, the post offices closing elsewhere were not in Hull North. Hardly a woman of principal, me thinks, and hardly a woman who has any political nous either.

As a result of the lack of talent on the government backbenches, she has managed to get herself appointed as an Under Secretary of State under Ed Balls. Being under Ed Balls is something I wouldn’t relish, but if you are climbing up the greasy pole, I guess any port in a storm will do.

Last night on the BBC she tried to frighten voters of Hull North into thinking a vote for the LibDems in the next general election will really be a vote for the Conservative Party. Her thinking is based on what experts say. These experts say the next general election may produce a hung parliament. If you want to predict the next general election at this stage you are a fool. No-one in their right mind would try to work out how the electorate will vote next spring, but the ineffectual Ms Johnson is clutching at straws, hoping the votes that are ebbing away from her will slow down at worst and come back to her at best. This is a vain hope. Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg will make the decisions he has to make as to which main party to support if and when a hung parliament is a reality.Until then voting Liberal Democrat will mean electing an opposition MP, as I can safely say the LibDems will not be forming a government.

I think Ms Johnson or some of her team read this blog. Let me give her a piece of advice.

You have taken this constituency for granted. You thought you had a safe seat for life. You thought all your Christmases had come at once when you won the Labour Party nomination for the Hull North seat. Politics has changed over the past four years. You have never worked this seat and tried to work out what the voters really want. There are many voters in this constituency who would normally vote Conservative, but are frightened to vote for the party in case they let Labour in. Getting a Conservative government is exactly what they want. There are many of your constituents who vote Labour in general elections, but feel let down and will turn to the LibDems who they normally vote for in council elections. They want rid of you and the government in which you serve. Going on television looking like a rabbit caught in the headlights will not reassure them you are the best person to represent their interests. Far from it. They will see a desperate person loosing the last vestiges of their dignity in order to remain an MP.

Whatever happens at the next general election, their is one thing for certain. For the majority of your constituents, if you do lose the seat, you will not be missed. For me personally, the sooner you are back in chambers in London, the better.

The Lisbon Treaty came into force today

2009-12-01T21:46:00.001Z

The Lisbon Treaty came into force today. Daniel Hannan MEP sums up the reality of what this means for Britain:

We woke up in a different country today. Alright, it doesn’t look very different. The trees still seem black against the winter sun; the motorways continue to jam inexplicably; commuters carry on avoiding eye contact. But Britain is no longer a sovereign nation. At midnight last night, we ceased to be an independent state, bound by international treaties to other independent states, and became instead a subordinate unit within a European state.

Yes, a European state. Take a quick dekko at the definition set out in Article One of the1933 Montevideo Convention on the Rights and Duties of States: “The state as a person of international law should possess the following qualifications: (a) a permanent population; (b) a defined territory; (c) government; and (d) capacity to enter into relations with the other states.”

Until yesterday, the EU qualified on grounds (a), (b) and (c). Now it has ticked the final box. Under the Lisbon Treaty, which came into force today, it acquires “legal personality”, which gives it the right to sign accords and treat with other states. Nor is this right simply theoretical: the EU now has a foreign minister, a diplomatic corps (the European External Action Service) and 160 overseas embassies.

Until yesterday, the EU could not annex additional policy areas without a new treaty, which needed to be ratified by all its constituent nations. Now, it has the so-called “passerelle” clause, or self-amending mechanism. Parliament, in other words, no longer has the final say on extensions of EU jurisdiction. The EU derives its authority, not from its 27 members, but from its own foundational texts.

Until yesterday, Britain could simply walk out of the EU by abrogating the Treaty of Rome and repealing the 1972 European Communities Act. Henceforth, it will have to go through the secession procedure laid down in Lisbon. In other words – in the minds of Euro-lawyers, at any rate, if not of British constitutionalists – the EU gets to settle the terms on which its members are allowed to leave. Formal sovereignty has been shifted from the national capitals to Brussels.

It is appalling, demeaning, disgraceful that such a thing should have been done without popular consent, and in the absence of the referendum that all three parties had promised. “There’s no point in crying over spilt milk,” you might say. True. But there is every point in mopping it up.

If you want to be part of this European state, then all you have to do is nothing. Not a thing. Just lie back and enjoy life. If you are disgusted, then there’s plenty of hard work ahead of you. Firstly, become part of the Freedom Association’s ‘Better Off Out Campaign.’ Join the Taxpayers’ Alliance and help publicise Dr Lee Rotherham’s book ‘Ten Years On – Britain without the European Union.’ Join ‘The Albion Alliance.’ Write to the press and help keep this issue in the public eye. If you are a blogger, I don’t have to tell you what to do.

It is now up to us, the people. We have to put pressure on our politicians. I believe the fight to get Britain out of the EU is one we can win. Come and join us.

A damning critique of New Labour

2009-11-30T21:42:00.001Z

If you want to read a damning critique of New Labour’s social policies and a verdict on the awful Family and Parenting Institute (which is incidentally 90% funded by the taxpayer) then read this by George Pitcher. Brilliant, incisive commentary.

The Price of Photography

2009-11-30T19:08:00.001Z

Back in August, Hull City Council Leader, Cllr Carl Minns, had his collar felt by the police for the crime of trying out his new camera and taking a photograph of the St Stephen’s Centre in Hull. He was initially stopped by a security guard and his details were passed in to the police. Click here to read the story.

Just like Cllr Minns, BBC photographer Jeff Overs, had his collar felt under Section 44 of the Terrorism Act. His crime was to take pictures of the London Skyline. Read about the story here.

I am certain these two cases are not isolated incidents. This will be going on every day of the week; innocent people going about their business and recording a few memories along the way are being treated as criminals. Will this change? We can only hope.

More NHS Hospitals are branded as ‘dirty’

2009-11-29T16:33:00.001Z

When Daniel Hannan described the NHS as a sixty year mistake, he did something unforgivable; he dared to criticise a national institution. For over half a century we have been indoctrinated into thinking the NHS is the envy of the world. We have been indoctrinated into thinking if we take ill overseas, the standard of care will not be a high as it is in the UK. We have also been indoctrinated into thinking the only option there is to the NHS is the US system of healthcare provision. This perhaps has been the most sinister lie of those on the left, and it is this argument that is wheeled out every time some of us try and discuss the future of healthcare in this country.

The indoctrination worked very well for decades, until we decided to holiday in other countries, rather than Blackpool or Clacton. We found out the standard of healthcare was high in many other countries and people were not dying on the streets because they couldn’t pay their medical bills. Even though in our hearts we know this, the left still put the fear factor into play when we dare to criticise the NHS. We have become accustomed to the state doing everything for us, we no longer regard healthcare as our responsibility. The left knows this and they have been very successful in ensuring healthcare remains the biggest nationalised industry in Britain.

Occasionally, something happens to rock our faith in the NHS. If you want an elderly relative to meet their maker, so you can pick up your inheritance sooner rather than later, then all you have to do is encourage them to have an operation in Basildon. This is far cheaper than going to Switzerland and there are no legal ramifications for you either. The icing on the cake could be the compensation you receive after your dear great aunt dies from a hospital acquired infection. Not that Basildon should be singled out unfairly. Alder Hey Children’s Hospital will also put your child’s health at risk thanks to its poor infection control, even though they regarded themselves as doing everything they could to offer the cleanest and safest wards of any Children’s Hospital in the country. The list goes on and on.

Millions of people around the country are frightened to go into hospital for operations, fearing what happened in Basildon may happen to them. Yet we love the NHS. The twitter campaign a few months’ ago proved that; didn’t it? I don’t believe we love the NHS at all. What we appreciate is the notion of universal healthcare. We find ourselves reassured our credit card will not be hit if we fall ill. The Germans are also reassured by the that fact, but they don’t have socialised medicine. They have a cost-effective system that offers universal healthcare to its citizens and you don’t hear of wards being closed down all over Germany thanks to MRSA and other bugs. To find out how the Germans manage to do it, click HERE.

The Dr Foster Hospital Guide has highlighted what bad shape some of our hospitals are in. This would not be tolerated in most countries. Hospitals would go out of business. You would use your right to choose a hospital with a good record, and give other hospitals a wide berth. The market would ensure the patient came first and can do this without the need to have expensive medical bills or unaffordable insurance premiums. We have to move away from the notion it is the state’s responsibility to pay for everything and become more responsible for our healthcare provision, and this does not mean the most vulnerable in society are left dying on the streets. A safety net must always be there in any civilised society. It means a mixture of private and public money and resources should be used to deliver a healthcare service that it fit for purpose and could easily become the envy of the world.

This is the challenge politicians will never rise to. Gradually dismantling the NHS is a vote loser. Until it is possible to have a rational debate on the NHS, nothing will change and Britain will be poorer as a result.

Gary McKinnon is let down by Alan Johnson

2009-11-26T23:26:00.001Z

Alan Johnson seems to fit the title: Jack of all trades, master on none. His time as Home Secretary has hardly been one of unmitigated success. It appears the Home Office is Labour’s equivalent of Northern Ireland. Prime Minister’s send ministers there when they want to end their careers in a very final way. If Alan Johnson does have hopes of being Labour leader, he has now found himself between the devil and the deep blue sea or more pertinently, between a hard place of his own making and Plymouth Rock, buckling under the pressure of a US government deeply embarrassed by the actions of a Brit.

Gary McKinnon (photographed above) has Asperger’s Syndrome. He is a UFO nut. Using his technological knowledge he managed to penetrate the seemingly impenetrable walls of the Pentagon. The Americans don’t like this. They want blood. They have already made clear they are going to jump over every legal hurdle to get their man. The only thing that stands in the way is British justice. We are now supposed to sleep well in our beds. The big bad wolf is not going to win. In fairy tales this is true, but we don’t live in a fairy tale and enter stage right, the Right Honourable Member for Hull West and Hessle. The High Court has refused Mr McKinnon the right to appeal to our Supreme Court. Alan Johnson, the postie done good, is now the star player. Is he going to do the right thing or is he going to blow the house down? Is he going to be the hero of the piece? No. Instead he is going to send Mr McKinnon to the US to face a prison sentence.

If I was a boffin in the Pentagon, I would want to get Mr McKinnon to explain how he did it. I would want to use his knowledge to make the computer systems secure. I would understand this man has a mental illness that makes him withdraw from the world we live in and live in a fantasy world.

Alan Johnson was the last roadblock to this extradition folly. He is the man who could have driven this runaway train into the buffers. He could have stopped this dead in its tracks. Instead he is the man who is so far out of his depth, he doesn’t realise the responsibility of a holder of one of the great offices of state. It is now up to us to remind him. Write to him and tell him how disgusted you are with this decision. Write to the press. Express your outrage. The only court that matters now is the court of public opinion. Even Alan Johnson has to bow to that court if enough of us nudge him into a corner.

The end for the ‘Big Screen’ in Hull

2009-11-26T22:06:00.001Z

It looks like it’s about to bite the dust. Gone. Out of our sight forever. As quickly as it came into our lives, it seems as if it is going to depart as speedily. The ‘Big Screen’ in Hull has been a source of debate since it was installed in 2004. I have always thought it looked like an enormous version of a television set people all over the country were throwing out to upgrade to a newer model. Aesthetically it is a carbuncle on the face of Queen Victoria Square. It could have been placed in a better location and it could have looked better, but alas our former Labour masters thought differently, if indeed they ever thought about it at all. The decision was made in haste in the Guildhall equivalent of smoke filled rooms.

Now we are told it is going to cost £250,000 to run over the next three years and this – according to our Liberal Democrat masters – is the straw that breaks the camel’s back. True, it has always been an expensive folly. Labour councillors seemed to be drawn into thinking Hull could somehow become Manchester with this monstrosity blasting out Look North around Queen Victoria Square, but I do have a problem.

Where is this television set, set for? Is it about to go to the technological graveyard in the sky, or is it going to be looked after in a benevolent council warehouse? Can it be resurrected at a future date, or has it already passed its use-by date? So much taxpayers’ money has been wasted thus far. It is a thorn in the side for the LibDems. A problem inherited from the former ruling Labour group’s profligacy. One can only hope that in the future Hull can move technologically forward in a planned and constructive way. As the UK faces bankruptcy thanks to national Labour profligacy, hope is all we have.

Hull’s Christmas Market

2009-11-25T17:40:00.001Z

Over the years I have enjoyed visiting Christmas Markets the length and breadth of Germany. These type of markets have become popular in the UK too, and I am pleased to report this year Hull is also holding a Christmas Market. This is where we are off to this evening.

It is hoped the market will increase the footfall in the city and judging by how popular they are elsewhere – including Germany – this should be a welcome addition for visitors to the city.

So come to Hull and experience Christmas in a different and peaceful way and pick up some unusual gifts. There will be plenty of German food and drink to keep you warm too!

UPDATE: Well, I suppose there is still over four weeks to go until Christmas Day. We got there just after 6.00pm. The majority of the stalls were food and sweets and most were unmanned. The place felt like the ‘Marie Celeste’ with only a handful of people there. For it to have the feel of a German market, it should have fewer food and drink stalls and more selling Christmas gifts and decorations. I hope it gets better, otherwise it will be a damp squib. I was disappointed tonight.

Tories back in a comfortable double-digit lead

2009-11-23T22:32:00.001Z

Yesterday we had the rogue poll cutting the Tory lead to 6%. Now, yet another poll is released which will make Conservatives sleep a little easier in their beds tonight; Tories on 39%, Labour 22% and the Lib Dems on 21%. Others on 18%.

Two things worthy of note. Firstly, I have said for a quite some time that Labour and the Lib Dems are neck and neck on around 23%. This poll – taking into account the margin of error – suggests the same.

Secondly, the amount of people saying they will vote for other parties is increasing. This backs up my assertion the next election will be the biggest anti-government vote in a century. Once again, nothing in the polls – apart from the odd rogue poll – makes me think any differently.

Margaret Thatcher comes home

2009-11-23T21:23:00.001Z

Margaret Thatcher went back home today – to No. 10 Downing Street. She was there for the unveiling of an official portrait of her by the artist, Richard Stone.

Click here to see a video report from BBC News.

The net financial cost of Britain’s membership of the EU

2009-11-22T21:05:00.001Z

Judging by some of the messages I have received about my last post, there appears to be some confusion, which I will now clear up.

During the next financial year – 2010/11 – Britain’s net contribution to the EU will be £6.4 billion. This is how much the British taxpayer will stump up after our rebate and receipts are taken into account. For more information, please read this article written by the renowned and respected economist, Ruth Lea.

Speaking to East Yorkshire Conservatives

2009-11-21T14:32:00.001Z

Last night I was the speaker at a supper club meeting of East Yorkshire Conservatives in Bridlington, on the subject of Quangos. Most people there were genuinely shocked at the amount of money being spent by Quangos and how much our membership of the European Union costs us each year. I quoted the following from Dr Lee Rotherham’s book, Ten Years On: Britain without the European Union.

While you were watching the last Harry Potter, £1,891,998 was transferred to Brussels.

During the England footy match, £1,113,000 left the British bank account for good.

In the time that it took you to boil an egg, £37,098 was surrendered to the EU.

£12,366 in one minute.

£206.11 in the heart pump of a second.

Another £206.11.

And then another.

It made no sense at all. It was like forming a human chain to pass gold bullion down Blackpool pier and to dump a brick off the end every hundred seconds.

Every hour was a new Angel of the North being built by British taxpayers in another country.

The bill for just two days paid for the whole Royal Family.

Three days would have kept your local community hospital running for a year.

Five days of EU membership would have covered all the repairs needed to every cathedral in England, or paid for a new Kew Gardens.

Ten days would have bought a new Belmarsh prison.

Why not just cut out the middle man? Instead of handing over three and a half weeks of net payments, you could have simulated the financial loss by cutting down all the trees in England looked after by the Forestry Commission and ploughing salt into the soil.

For the equivalent value effect of five months of fees, you could have just burned every picture and every painting in the National Gallery. Or the Treasury could have taken revenge on international bankers, and paid the annual deficit by just handing over all the revenue of the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man.

Food for thought? The statistics are breathtaking when stated in a way we can all relate to. I would like to thank East Yorkshire Conservatives for their very warm welcome and excellent hospitality. I had a very enjoyable time in Bridlington and look forward to returning.

Flooding in Cockermouth

2009-11-20T17:06:00.001Z

Looking at the pictures from Cockermouth brought back the unhappy memories of when we were flooded in June 2007. So many people have had their lives turned upside down and judging by the scale of the flooding, they will be out of their homes much longer than the six and a half months we were out for.

My thoughts also go out to the family, friends and colleagues of PC Bill Barker, whose body was found earlier today. His widow has said the died doing the job the loved. According to Sky News

, he had been diverting traffic off Northside Bridge near Workington when it collapsed, throwing him into the River Derwent. It shows the courage, bravery and sense of duty of all members of the emergency services. The magnificent job they do should make us all proud.

Sir Stuart Bell in the Queen’s Speech Debate

2009-11-18T20:49:00.001Z

Sir Stuart Bell, the MP for Middlesbrough since 1983, has had a long career as an author, journalist, barrister and parliamentarian. I know he is gripped by a love affair with the EU, no doubt brought about during his time practicing law in France. Listening to him in the Queen’s Speech debate though, I began to wonder if like the prime minister he has become divorced from reality,

The big story about the Queen’s Speech today is what is not in it. After the turbulent year MPs have had, one would have thought Gordon Brown would grasp the nettle and include some form of reform bill. This was not to be. Sir Stuart – quite rightly – said in the House of Commons this afternoon, the voters are not talking about MPs’ expenses and allowances. They are talking about other issues affecting them. He thinks the Commons will once again become a great institution without reforming it. At least not undergoing any major reforms. What he is forgetting is if it was not for the recession, the public would be taking MPs to task. Just because we in the grips of a recession does not mean politicians should sweep these matters under the carpet and hope they will go away.

Sir Stuart then went on to make the most nonsensical remark I have heard a politician make in a long time. To paraphrase him, he believes during this economic downturn, Britain needs the EU more than it has done in the past. How? Why? Do British businesses need more red tape; more bureaucracy; more rules and regulation? Do fishermen need the Common Fisheries Policy? Do we really need more decisions taken away from us; important decisions affecting our democracy and our economy?

Britain needs the EU like a hole in the head. To help us get out of this recession we need to throw off the shackles of the EU. British businesses need to freed from the red tape. If Sir Stuart Bell cannot see this, perhaps it is time he hung up his boots.

Quote of the Day

2009-11-18T15:45:00.001Z

Cast iron promises from the Conservative Party aren’t what they used to be

Gordon Brown – House of Commons – 18/11/09

Britain is best placed to weather the economic storm. No more boom and bust. British jobs for British workers, to name just three. The prime minister seems to have a poor memory as well as a poor grasp of reality.

The Cost of the Common Fisheries Policy

2009-11-17T22:25:00.001Z

Tonight, I have been reading a report on the Common Fisheries Policy. With the latest TPA campaign highlighting how life would be very different outside the EU, I have been looking at a policy that has had such a detrimental effect on the British fishing industry. Living in Hull, this is something important to the people of Hull and the Humber Region in general.

Once again, the Taxpayers’ Alliance is at the forefront of research into the economic impact the EU has on the UK economy. The UK fishing fleet, and associated industries have been crippled on three occasions in the past century: by the Kaiser, Hitler and the Common Fisheries Policy. On the first two occasions, the North Sea was a war zone.

To read the report I have been reading tonight. click HERE.

Recipe for EU Agriculture Fudge

2009-11-17T10:44:00.001Z

Following on from the cinema advertisement I posted yesterday, I realised I hadn’t posted the following video on EU Agriculture Fudge. Another great way to the message across of how just how much the EU costs us each year.

Archbishop of Canterbury speaks on the economy and taxation

2009-11-16T20:41:00.001Z

I don’t agree with him, but if you want to know what all the fuss is about, here is Rowan Williams’ full speech to the TUC today. Apparently taxation should not be regarded as an unreasonable burden and “tax is about corporate insurance … and is the essence of the democratic process.”

Just when you think you have heard it all, someone comes along with something new.

Beyond Crisis: Archbishop Rowan Williams from Trades Union Congress on Vimeo.

What if Britain left the EU?

2009-11-16T18:58:00.001Z

When I was growing up, the UK was part of the European Economic Community – the ‘Common Market.’ The EEC then transformed itself into the European Community. As part of this ongoing process, the transformation continued and the UK became part of the European Union. At no point during this were we the voters given the opportunity to have our say. Instead, those whom we elect to serve our interests, wilfully gave away huge chunks of our sovereignty to an unelected superquango in Brussels.

The advertisement at the top of this blog will be rolling out in cinemas nationally later this week. It gives you a glimpse of how much the EU costs taxpayers and businesses. It also promotes Dr Lee Rotherham’s new book, ‘Ten Years On: Britain without the European Union.’ It’s not just the financial cost though. Our right to govern ourselves as a free nation state has gone. We need to get this right back. This is just the start of a long campaign for democracy and freedom, but it is a fight we must win to rid ourselves of the meddling Brussels bureaucracy.

Family members working for MPs

2009-11-15T16:00:00.000Z

Watching the Andrew Marr show this morning a rare occurrence happened: I found myself agreeing with John Bercow. I still regard him as an arrogant little shit; my opinion of him has not changed, but what he was correct on was the subject of spouses, partners and other family members working for MPs.

I feel sorry for those family members who have worked in the Commons for years, doing a great job and who have not abused the system. The problem is too many have abused the system and brought it into disrepute. The public perception is that everyone is on the fiddle, so I find myself agreeing with the Kelly Report and John Bercow. This practice must end.

As for the practice of agreeing with John Bercow? I'm sure this won't continue either.

X Factor Live Blog - Week 6

2009-11-14T16:55:00.000Z

There won't be one. I watch the programme to see some of our young people with potential develop into great singers. I happen to think there is a hell of a lot talent out there, but this programme has become - even more than it has in the past - a battle of egos between the judges. Last week, Simon Cowell - despite what he says - decided to push out a singer who was a genuine threat to his acts and who could have easily gone on to win the contest.

I won't be watching tonight, although my prediction is one of Simon's acts will leave the competition tomorrow, as the public seeks revenge on him. This rather goes to prove my point. Another singer will leave, not because of their talent, but because of the battle of the egos going on with the judges.

John & Edward will live to fight another day. They are being primed for a short, novelty pop career and then jobs presenting on TV. Either way, Simon Cowell's bank balance is set to rise, unless people switch-off their sets, which I know will not happen in the numbers required to worry him.

Glasgow North-East proves Labour is on the slide

2009-11-14T11:19:00.002Z

I'm down with the flu and not at my best, however, I do want to comment on the result of the Glasgow North-East by-election.

If you look at ukpollingreport, you will see since 1997, Labour has polled fewer votes at each subsequent election, although during this time Michael Martin was standing as Speaker. In 1997 Labour polled 22534 votes. In 2001, 16053 votes. In 2005, 15153 votes. In the by-election, Labour polled 12231 votes. There has been a boundary change, but in a solid Labour area, this has not made any difference.

What we see here, is election after election, Labour voters are not voting for other parties, instead they are staying at home. If you look into data in other constituencies you will see the same trend. This is why Labour MPs with majorities under around 8000 are getting the jitters. They know with a big anti-government vote on the way, they are vulnerable.

The Glasgow North-East by-election does not prove Labour is on the march. Far from it. It proves it is on the slide. Labour's best hope for the next election is its core vote stays at home. This is the only way it can retain many seats it would normally regard as safe.

March election 'unlikely'

2009-11-11T23:15:00.003Z

Forget a March election. At least that's what Iain Dale thinks, along with the BBC's Nick Robinson and George Osborne's advisers.

I was out with some friends tonight and the this subject came up. I have thought for some time the most likely month for a general election is April. The turnout at a general election is always higher than at local elections. With this in mind, Labour would get a bigger drubbing at the hands of the voters across town and county halls. Although Labour is bankrupt and hasn't got the cash to fight a general election, never mind the local elections, I still think Brown will steer clear of May 6 and he won't let this parliament run until June. I predict the general election will be on April 15. April 8 is unlikely as it is just after Easter.

If I am right, remember you read it here. If I'm wrong, just forget you ever read it!

Gordon Brown and 'The Sun'

2009-11-10T08:59:00.003Z

If you make an enemy out of 'The Sun' newspaper, it certainly knows

how to twist the knife. If its latest attacks on the prime minister

are anything to go by, the Conservative Party can do without its

'help.'

Most fair minded people feel the prime minister is doing the right

thing sending handwritten letters to the next of kin of our troops

killed in action. He has very poor eyesight and writes using a

felt-tip pen because of this. He probably wrote the letter to Jacqui

Janes when he was very tired and seals the envelope himself. He

regards this as personal correspondence.

'The Sun' is trying to score cheap political points and is using a

mother's grief in the process. Publishing a transcript of a private

telephone conversation between her and the prime minister is

reprehensible. I'm sure Gordon Brown feels awful about this. His

sincere condolences have been twisted. This is not what politics ought

to be about.

Sent from my mobile device

Will Cameron's announcement last week pave the way for a referendum on Britain's membership of the EU?

2009-11-09T22:25:00.001Z

At a fringe event during the Conservative Party Conference in Manchester, David Trimble urged us not to give up hope with David Cameron. He said if Cameron does become prime minister, a list of demands will be presented to the EU and if those demands are not met, this will pave the way for a referendum asking the electorate if we want to be in or out.

The list of demands has just be announced. I don't believe for one moment he will get his way. I can only hope Lord Trimble is correct in his belief a referendum on our membership of the EU will be called. If this is Cameron's plan, I fully support him. Those of us who know Britain will be better off out also know we will only have one chance to win a referendum. Unlike referenda in other EU countries, we will not have the option of asking for another vote. Nor should we.

If Cameron does not plan a future referendum and is instead fudging the issue, he will face the wrath of the rank and file of the Conservative Party and the country. Time will tell, but in the meantime I and many others will be presenting our case and explaining why Britain has everything to gain from no longer being a member of the European Union.

The Berlin Wall: 13 August 1961 - 9 November 1989

2009-11-09T20:46:00.003Z

Twenty years ago today, the biggest symbol of communism and oppression - the Berlin Wall - was being dismantled. Those of us who watched it happen on our televisions will never forget the images of joy and hope. I would have loved to have been there to share in that euphoric moment.

I have visited Eastern Germany many times over the last few years and the change has been breathtaking. People no longer have to worry their friends and neighbours may be spying on them for the Stasi. Gone are the ruins from the Second World War. Gone is the despair of having your life completely run by the state.

Tonight is a night for celebration. A new generation has grown up not experiencing first hand the horrors of communism. If you have no other reason to celebrate today, celebrate that.

X Factor Live Blog - Week 5 Results

2009-11-08T20:00:00.007Z

Who is going tonight? I would love it be John & Edward, but I know I'm not going to get my wish. I think it will be Lloyd Daniels. He was poor last week, but allowances were made by the judges due to his sore throat. This week he has apparently recovered, but was still very poor.

UPDATE: 20:29 I didn't reckon much to the last offering from the Black Eyed Peas, but Leona Lewis is showing how much of a star she is. This girl has a very long career ahead of her.

UPDATE: 20:37 The waiting is almost over. The results are in. The contestants saved in order of announcement are:

Joe McElderry, Olly Murs, Stacey Solomon, Lloyd Daniels, Danyl Johnson, Jamie Archer.

I am shocked. Lucie is in the bottom two! The up-side to this should mean John & Edward will be sent packing by the judges, otherwise another great talent will be lost from the show.

UPDATE: 20:45 Lucie is up first singing One Moment in Time. She is shaky, but I guess it's to be expected. Now she is getting into her stride. Much better and a great ending.

Now John & Edward are about to start and are being booed on stage. They are singing 'Rock DJ.' Surprisingly they are not doing that bad a job of it, although as this song has a lot of talking in it, perhaps is not that surprising after all.

It's all down to Simon now and he is taking it down to the public vote. The act going is: Lucie Jones. Simon is protecting his acts by eliminating a possible threat. He said she couldn't win the competition. She could have won and it is one of those weeks where the public thought she was safe and didn't vote. This show really is becoming a joke. What's the point of having judges?

X Factor Live Blog - Week 5

2009-11-07T19:48:00.015Z

It's that time again, folks. Who will go out after tonight's performance? Is it too much to hope it will be John and Edward?

1. Stacey Solomon - She looks good, but she doesn't sound good. I think Stacey is going to be a victim of the public vote in the next 2-3 weeks. Her performances are going downhill. 5/10

2. Olly Murs - He has a retro Beatles look. You have to hand it to Simon Cowell, he really does know the right songs to pick for his acts. Olly is good tonight. He has the style and stage presence. 8/10

3. Lloyd Daniels - Bad start. Cheryl says he has recovered from his bad throat. So what's the excuse for tonight? Poor singer. 3/10

4. Jamie Archer - Simon's look says it all. Poor start, but it's getting better. It was emotional towards the end and Louis really is looking like a petty council official. 6/10

5. Lucie Jones - A strong start, which not all can say tonight. She seems very comfortable on stage and this shines through her performances. 9/10

6. Danyl Johnson - The pressure is on him tonight. He's not great, but he's not bad either and based on the performance tonight, he should stay in. 7/10

7. John & Edward - Here we go. How bad can this be? There is something strange on the television. Rubbish. 1/10

8. Joe McElderry - It's time for little Geordie Joe. Not my words. Thank Cheryl for that. One of the things I cannot understand in this competition is the put-down of musical theatre. Perhaps it has something to do with the amount of musical theatre I have done. Well done, Joe. 8/10

Reflections on the last 48 hours

2009-11-06T21:23:00.001Z

Firstly, I must apologise for the radio silence during the last two days. I have been deep in thought, considering where my political future lies. I have decided my future lies in the Conservative Party. I will explain why.

I have received many messages over the last 48 hours, but one person has stood out. Man in a Shed - who I found out tonight, whilst talking to him on the telephone - does not really live in a shed, convinced me to stay in the party. He understands where I am coming from and is sympathetic to my viewpoint. Others - and I still thank them for their messages - do not understand where I am coming from, and at times I could have easily resigned from the party after hearing from them, even though that was not their intention.

I am playing the long game. It may take many years to convince our political leaders there should be a referendum on our membership of the EU and it will take time to ensure the British people are convinced too, but when that time happens I will make sure I am at the forefront of a referendum campaign to say 'YES' we want Britain out of the European Union.

In the meantime, Britain will be much better off under a Conservative government. It is the Conservative Party that will have to sort out the mess 13 years of a Labour government has given us. I have been on a journey these past two days. I have not changed my mind about the EU, but I know the only chance of ever having change is under a Conservative government.