A more hostile environment

the ECtHR building from the air and at night

On 1st September, 2025, Yvette Cooper made yet another immigration policy announcement, most startlingly, prohibiting, refugees, who enter the country irregularly from bringing their family with them: reported by the Guardian & BBC. We should bear in mind that there are no legal routes for refugees to enter the country and they have the right to claim asylum here,

In addition there’s a growing mood music inside the Government to amend, or leave the ECHR; this demans originates from the Tories and Reform and is entering the Labour Party via the parasitic Blue Labour current. It’s now being repeated by cabinet members.

We should all bear in mind that the UK is currently a good citizen as far as the ECtHR is concerned, it only appeared three times last year, and only lost once, and that was to the Daily Mail in a dispute about libel costs.

The ECHR and the UK’s Human Rights Act are designed to protect citizens that’s you and me from oppressive governments. If it’s a problem to governments, then they can easily solve their problem by behaving decently.

The Labour Campaign for Free Movement is campaigning for a motion on immigration, refugees and asylum to go to Labour Conference 25. I have set up my #lab25 conference.

Here is what the Guardian had to say,

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Happy birthday

a chocolate birthday cake

Today, is the 21st anniversary of starting this blog. The first article called “Online at last” is still available.

Back then I promised or hoped that some of what I put here, about IT issues, business and Computer Games (including Baldur’s Gate 2) will be interesting, innovative and useful. I also expect to just put some simple stuff up; stuff that does not warrant a web page, maybe I’ll x-ref my amazon book reviews and put up some that I don’t expect to publish elsewhere. I doubt I’ll be writing about either cooking or DIY. [It took a while but for various reasons I took up both although usually publish my thoughts and research on these topics a separate subsite. ] I am still writing about games too.

I catalogue the history of the site on my History & Aims page. It’s gone through phases, and today is mainly about politics and technology and technology regulation. The more personal stuff is currently posted to the wiki, and the technical stuff is often previewed on my linkedin blog. I usually cross post to Medium, where I can be followed, if you are a member and would like to follow me there.

Random
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Creative incompetence

Creative incompetence

I wrote a piece on the Peter Principle and Creative Incompetence on my LinkedIn blog.

The Peter principle, suggests that people are promoted to levels of incompetence. I the article I argue that this is aggravated by the fact that management values management and often values task and financial management more than people management skills.

The overpromoted are often unhappy and the insightful are either lucky and work for organisations that seek to avoid these traps by recognising and rewarding individual contributors or employ a strategy of “creative incompetence”.  …

International Solidarity at GMB 25

many national flags strung accross a path

As is traditional the GMB debated international solidarity on Thursday morning although since a GMB workplace in Northern Ireland had been attacked, a delegate from that Region addressed Congress. He is followed by an address from Tariq Pollard, from the Teamsters in NY an organiser in Amazon and his full time officer,  Antonio Rosario. The organisation in Amazon grows.

The CEC chose to present a special report on International Solidarity to Congress. The paper was moved by Barbara Plant. Special report debates are longer than others because each region gets to speak. The report covered trade and the EU, middle east again, and international solidarity mainly Latin America but also including Ukraine.

After the debate on the special report, Congress was addressed by video by the Palestinian Ambassador, Dr. Husam Zomlot who thanked us for our solidarity and promised that with our help Palestinian voices will not be silenced. See also the 2024 statement on the Middle East.

We also heard, by video from the Deputy PM of Spain, Yolanda Diaz, who holds the Minister of Labour and Social Economy portfolio, and presented a  beacon of hope from one of the few social democratic governments in the world. Even though their confrontation with the far right is more acute and still massively socially divisive the Spanish government is pursuing policies of humanity, anti-poverty and anti-racism.

The video links in this article are the start points of each section I describe.

This article has been back dated to approximately the date of occurrence.

Image Credit: By Nick Fewings from unsplash using the unsplash licence. …

GMB & Trans-rights

GMB Congress 25, delegates sitting and posters on the wall

There was one motion on the issue of Trans-rights, this is/was 242. RETURN THE CONCEPT OF FEMINISM WHERE IT BELONGS on p121 of the agenda document. At the centre of this motion is the call that “the position that feminism should focus on embracing intersectionality and supporting all women, including transgender women, and not just those who conform to traditional gender norms. “ It was moved by Chiorstaidh Reichle; the moving and seconding speeches are on youtube.

I felt that both speeches were of high quality, full of empathy and knowledge.

There were also two emergency motions, (5&6) one on a workplace response primarily to the EHRC guidance since modified and one on the inadequate and un-inclusive process followed by the Supreme Ciurt and EHRC in developing their guidance.

These debates were preceded by a speech by Dr Victoria McCloud on the iniquity of the court ruling and the EHRC guidance. This is a powerful and moving speech.

The motion text is overleaf/below.  …

Universities at GMB25

a group of people from above wearing U. of Bradofrd academic gowns

I moved a motion entitled higher education, knowledge and funding.  In my speech I placed the crisis of HE funding in the context of macro-economic policy and as the results of Labour’s hostile environment. I had been inspired to write the motion as a result of Rachel Reeves autumn statement 24 and after reviewing the industrial policy white paper. The seconder of the motion made what I believe is a powerful statement in favour of universal access to higher education. In this article, below, you will find a video clip of the debate, the words of the motion and my notes, that I used to make the speech.

In this article, below or overleaf, you will find the words of the motion and my notes, that I used to make the speech. …

The Presidential Hustings @ GMB25

GMB Congress 25, delegates sitting

Congress 2025 was required to elect the Union’s president and vice-president. I have only been attending Congress for a few years and Barbara Plant has always chaired them. I am told that her predecessor, held the role for many years and was not required to defend her position in an election. This year, however, the election was contested. The vice-presidential position was also vacant and so Congress had hustings and elections for a new leadership team. For more see overleaf ...