Osborne’s budget was not good for him and the Tories, and they were partly lucky, and partly cunning as they buried in stories that focused on other issues. There were four headline issues to consider, Macroeconomics, Tax, Housing and Beer. …
Disgrace
Yesterday, Labour’s Leadership let itself, its members and its supporters down.
The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Ian Duncan Smith has instructed his civil servants and their private sector agents to break the law. 20 years ago, the Minister would have resigned, and why not? It’s not as if he didn’t mean to illegally threaten job seeker allowance claimants with loss of benefit if they didn’t take ‘work placements’, in effect working for free. …
We need a Press that serves the public, not just Oligarchs
We are down to short strokes on the nation’s political leadership’s response to the Levenson Enquiry and #hackgate. Cameron, at the behest of the right wing press broke of talks with Labour and the Libdems last week and Nick Cohen throws a thromby in the Guardian yesterday and the Sun, in a reverse Godwin’s Law manoeuvre bring Churchill’s indomitable commitment on Press Freedom to play, shown in this tweet, and on the front page of the Sun, …
A bad week for RSS
I reckon it’s been a bad week for the open web. Google have announced they’re shit canning not just Google Reader but also CalDAV and Twitter ran one of their API Version 1.0 blackouts. Both offer alternatives; I am unsure that they are as open as their predecessors. Twitter certainly are withdrawing support for RSS, and Google have over the last 18 months been rebuilding their technology as a secret garden. …
Note on the Bedroom Tax
On top of the reduction of Housing Benefit, a reform that will cause massive hardship to tenants, many of whom are in full time work, the Government proposes to reduce the benefit even more for those deemed to be over-occupying their property. Left Foot Forward lists 5 things David Cameron doesn’t want you to know about the Bedroom Tax. …
Boris in Catford
Boris Johnson, London’s occasional Mayor held one of his mandatory People’s Question Time sessions in Catford, towards the south of the London Borough of Lewisham. The event took place within spitting distance of the Lewisham’s hospital that is losing its Intensive Care Unit, jeopardising the A&E and Maternity Units.
Paul tells the story with a storify page, with the accurate if not particularly catchy title “People’s Question Time in Catford, March 2013”. …
Hugo Chavez RIP
Hugo Chavez, President of Venezuela died this week. Tariq Ali wrote an obituary in the Guardian. I remember him by posting two quotes from him. …
Vicky Foxcroft enters the fray
Vicky Foxcroft has just announced her intention to stand as Labour’s candidate to replace Joan Ruddock as MP for Lewisham Deptford
Delighted to announce I’m standing to succeed the wonderful Joan Ruddock MP as Labour MP in Lewisham Deptford #vicky4deptford
— vickyfoxcroft (@vickyfoxcroft) March 4, 2013
She is one of the two Labour Councillors for Brockley Ward, which is where I am a member and currently act as Secretary …