More Power Please - Labour plays down Holyrood powers gaffe

Apparently

EMBARRASSED Labour leaders at Holyrood were yesterday forced to withdraw a parliamentary motion that mistakenly called for more powers for the Scottish Parliament.

The motion was published by Margaret Curran, the Labour chief whip and the minister for parliamentary business, ahead of today's debate on Scotland's place within the United Kingdom.

The motion praised the Union but noted that devolution was "a process not an event". It went on to state: "Scotland should retain the benefits of being part of the UK while, where appropriate, increasing the powers available to the Scottish Parliament."

Increasing the parliament's powers is not Labour Party policy. Indeed, Labour is the only one of the main parties going into this year's election which does not call for at least a debate on the powers of the Scottish Parliament.

The motion was withdrawn hurriedly after the mistake was spotted.

Perhaps the Chancellor might like to use this kind of mistake to change his budget so it doesn't affect the low paid.
The Scotsman - Politics - Labour plays down Holyrood powers gaffe

Police play the Moulin Rouge

Nice work if you can get it. Any Dancing with the girls after?

If you would like to try this out perhaps now is the time to join the Local Police Pipe band.

Apparently

The group had been traveling to perform at the Stade de France for the Scotland vs France match on Saturday when they received the unusual request.

A police spokeswoman said they

"received an excellent reception."

She added:

"The invite came about after the theatre's management heard the pipe band were in town and of course they couldn't refuse."

Of course they couldn't pass up the opportunity. Videos of the Can-Can being performed are awaited.

BBC NEWS | Scotland | Edinburgh and East | Police band play the Moulin Rouge

Kicked in the teeth

I put up this post with no changes as it's from my big bro', Thanks loon for saying it better than I could.
Having been brought up as a Dependant, I take a keen interest in most things military. It is achingly clear that the various agencies involved in dealing officially with servicemen and servicewomen (and their Dependants) injured and killed in the line of duty are failing lamentably both in their duty of care and levels of empathy.

I usually leave Rogue Gunner to highlight these issues admirably, but here's one he missed.

The local paper reports that;

The mum of an Aberdeen soldier killed in Iraq today hit out over demands to make her pay for inquest papers.

Diane Douglas says she has been told she can get the transcript of the court probe - at a cost of £1.10p per page.

And she branded the request "a damn disgrace".

Lance Corporal Allan Douglas was on the roof of a police station when he was hit by a sniper in Iraq last year. The 22-year-old, of the 1st Battalion Highlanders, had been planning to leave the army.

In November an inquest in Oxford, attended by his mum and dad Walter, returned a verdict of unlawful killing.

His mum said today it was "very important" that she have all the papers from the inquest but felt the authorities were "just not bothered".

Bloody beancounters.

If I sound bitter then tough. I try my level best to deal with compassion in my job, but penny pinching bureaucrats bite my arse.

I've sworn twice already...not my usual way. I apologise, but I recall that when my father, having served 40 years in the RAF and then as a SSAFA Welfare Officer for 2 years, died having succumbed to cancer and suddenly the bookkeepers at RAF Hendon were on to me after a scant few weeks to reclaim 11 days of his pension as it was paid in advance!

They got a letter expressing my feelings. I was polite. Did I get a reply? You have a guess.

Tears are welling.....see what those bastards have done to me after all these years. I'm off to weep quietly. Missing you old man!

Welcome to Toy Town
The Home of Noddy (& Mr Plod): Kicked in the teeth

Gordon Brown, Robbin’ Hoody

A quick link and hat-tip to the always funny Beau Bo D'or

Beau Bo D’Or » Blog Archive » Gordon Brown, Robbin’ Hoody

Brown's Final Con Trick?

Tomorrow's papers will no doubt have the headline of "2p cut in Income Tax". However behind the headline will be the usual smoke and mirrors that the con artist Gordon Brown always employs at his Budgets.

By saving till the end his declaration on an income tax cut he will make the headlines and appear at first sight to be a beneficial man delivering gifts to all and sundry, but behind all the words is the real truth.

• The overall impact of income tax /NIC changes will cost working families £340m a year.
• A single person without children earning £16,000, like an NHS maternity care assistant or a police community support officer, will pay more a year in tax, and not gain from tax credits.
• Everyone earning between around £5,000 and £18,000 will pay more income tax, and many will become more dependant on the complex tax credits system. Half of all tax credit payments are wrong, and over £2bn has been lost to fraud and error.
• The tax burden is set to rise from 39.2% last year to 40.4% in 2008/9. That’s a rise of over £17bn.

The great Tax credit scheme will have to be used to attempt to claw back the money that Gordon has taken away from the lower paid. Anyone who has been through the nightmare it is, will not be expecting much apart from when it is totally wrong and billed once more to us the taxpayer.

This is all before the fine details (hidden taxes on us) of this con trick of a budget are exposed for what they are.

Independent Online Edition > UK Politics

Airhead backs Scroat over jail phone message

Apparently an airhead of a judge has issued a ruling on the legal challenge on recorded messages on phone calls from jail and that they are an unlawful invasion of a convicted scroat's privacy.

Lord Glennie said people were not stripped of their basic rights simply because they had been jailed, and he held that the Scottish Prison Service did not have the authority of parliament for its policy of attaching the warning to all telephone calls.

So the scroats who have, by definition, removed the basic rights of other people, in this case by repeated jailing for assault and armed robbery are being "victimised".

Perhaps we should just set them free, just in case, we deny them anymore rights.

Annabel Goldie, the Scottish Tory leader, claimed the rights of prisoners were being promoted above those of the law-abiding and said the ruling had made Scotland

"a laughing stock".

She also said:

"Prisoners forfeit a number of rights when they go to jail, which should include the ability to dictate on what terms they make a phone call."

Ken MacAskill, the SNP's justice spokesman, said:

"This is outrageous. People who breach the law must pay the price. Taxpayers' money is being used to fund these legal aid cases, money which could be going to help vulnerable people in need of legal representation. A line needs to be drawn now."

More on this here

Stealing Your BallsMoney

Via Croydonian we find the story of how Ed Balls and his Master Gordon(Joe to my enemies) Brown will not only be Burning our Money, but also Stealing our Money.

Now I'm sure that amongst these accounts untouched for 15 years there will be some genuinely "dead" accounts, and much better than going to the banks, the money is used sensibly, but think on the following.

If at the birth of your son/daughter you drop a quick £1000 in an account for the wee sprog and Grannies and Grandad then chuck in a few bob to help it along (Those Tuition Fees are so expensive nowadays).
Now at 21 the slightly larger sprog discovers that forgotten account book hiding in the back of the drawers that he's been using for furniture in his first flat and thinks, oh wow, money to pay off that large overdraft from going through University, what happens?

He pops along to the local bank, hands over his account book and says give me the money. Then the sad tale unfolds. Unfortunately your nice Mr Balls has snaffled it to pay for that nice Olympic Games back in 2012, (Interest on £30 billion is a lot you know).

According to that nice Mr Balls it will all be simple to "reclaim" the money, but if you've ever tried to get money out of a bank or the government you'll know that the words simple do not apply. Mix the two together and in two shakes you'll have written your will and passed the account onto your kids.


Ed Balls publishes consultation document on unclaimed asset scheme

Little Joe Stalin

As the Labour NEC puts out the timetable for the CrowningElection of the next Labour Leader and, lest we forget, our next Prime Minister the following article shows a little of what we might expect from the current Chancellor.

A few snippets from the document might whet your appetite for how he will "govern" this country.

The documents confirm Mr Brown's ferocious appetite for what others may regard as tedious detail.

One of his first actions as Rector was to write sternly to university officials, arguing that "I must have all the business of the Court on hand, in order to fulfil my function as Chairman", and so he had to receive the minutes of all Court committees.

At this young age, Mr Brown seems to have been worried whether he was getting enough publicity. In one internal memo the university's information officer wrote:

"The Rector appears to be sensitive to the fact that the BBC did not contact him yesterday to appear on television. I told him this was a matter for the BBC to decide whether or not they should follow up any story. In confidence I have warned the BBC News Editor in Edinburgh about the Rector's attitude."

When it came to the end of his three year term Brown clearly hoped to go out in style. He planned to give a valedictory address and get the University authorities to declare the day a special academic holiday, with no lectures or classes. This was derisively rejected. The Secretary wrote that Brown's suggested date was

"singularly inappropriate", suggesting instead that he give his address on a Wednesday afternoon, a time normally free from classes anyway.

BBC NEWS | Politics | Brown's first taste of power

Military Inquests- More delays

Because of our archaic laws and Government and MOD inertia inquests for Service Personnel killed overseas will be even more delayed as a result of a change in location of the Inquests. The reason for this change is that Brize Norton, in Oxfordshire, where all flights used to end is being redeveloped and so the Military Transport aircraft will now have to land a RAF Lyneham which is in Wiltshire. This means the Wiltshire Coroner now has to lead all proceedings.

Geraldine McCool, the solicitor who represented the family of Matty Hull, who was killed near Basra in March 2003 when a US pilot fired on his tank convoy, said she was "appalled" to learn of the decision.

"We have at least got now established in Oxford a centre of excellence for army deaths - and to hear that that is going to change for no good reason whatsoever is very disturbing," she told the BBC.

She added that spreading the workload around the country looked "initially quite attractive" but was actually "foolhardy".

Coroner Andrew Walker and two others were brought into Oxfordshire last May to clear a backlog of 85 cases of dead service personnel awaiting hearings.

Shadow Defence Minister Liam Fox said:

"There's a lot of hardship and a lot of heartache that's being endured by service families here, and the government needs to address this a little more thoroughly than they've been willing to do up 'til now."

The Department for Constitutional Affairs (DCA) said that no new resources had been allocated to Wiltshire, but this was under review.

A spokesman said Oxfordshire had done a "fantastic" job, but that relatives of service personnel had found travelling long distances difficult.

He added:

"We are confident that any coroner can build up the same level of expertise on military inquests as Mr Walker and his colleagues did."

Considering it took over 3 years to "build up" that expertise in Oxfordshire, it will take a while before this will happen.

BBC NEWS | UK | Military inquest venue to change

Death by 1,000 cuts: NHS budgeting laid bare

Tales of the destruction of the NHS by Patricia (Best Year so Far)Hewitt continue with this article in the Independent written by a doctor at an NHS hospital in the south of England.

In the article the doctor writes how the relentless pursuit of the false targets set by Patricia to make the NHS break even to some sort of mythological target are affecting an A&E department. One particular bit got my attention in particular and shows how the short term thinking of this budget is possibly causing lives to be lost

Training budgets have been cut back, or simply suspended. As a direct consequence, when our new defibrillator appeared, nobody had been trained in its use the first time a patient needed it. On another recent shift, of the three qualified nursing staff present, one was dealing with a man who had bled into his brain. Another was helping control seizures in a three-year-old, and the third one was transferring a patient to theatre whose thigh bone was poking out through his jeans.

Which left two unqualified assistants with three months' A&E experience between them, to temporarily look after 10 or so "trolley" cases, from backache to threatened miscarriage. They also had to make sure the department was clean to prevent the spread of MRSA, answer the phones that never stop and keep an eye on the junior doctors.

We must get rid of this women before she kills us all.

Death by 1,000 cuts: NHS budgeting laid bare

Ex-Whitehall chief slams ‘Stalinist’ Brown

I've read all the pieces on this bit of news that say this was "gossip" or "off the record" or whatever, but it was all said by a man who should know pretty well how Mr Brown works. The fact the it was "off the record" or should I say, unguarded, makes it more likely to be the truth rather than carefully thought out story.

This man was at some point a highly respected Civil Servant and for him to speak out like this, is out of the normal for former Mandarins, who tend to be fairly close-mouthed about their opinions of current Political figures.

I would suspect that this is a message from Turnbull as payback for many years of the destruction of the Civil Service as he sees it. You might argue that this destruction is a good thing, but I would say that the bypassing of the controls of traditional government, with the use of Cabinet, Civil Servants and Ministers in concert, that we are destroying this country.

Mr Brown is at heart a Control Freak and believes that Knowledge is Power, this is a poor way to run a department far less a country.

FT.com / World / UK - Ex-Whitehall chief slams ‘Stalinist’ Brown

Fame at last - Scottish Blogging Roundup

Fame?

SBR 23: Whoops « Scottish Blogging Roundup

Nae Langer Tae Lie Hodden In a Pauper's Grave

Peter Milne - Fiddler
Originally uploaded by fitaloon.

Taken from the Press and Journal on the 17th March 2007

Riches denied, thy boon was purer joys What wealth could never give nor take

Inscription on Monument to Peter Milne

AS A LAD that lo'es the traditional fiddle music o wir ain country an specially fae oor North-East neuk, I hae dauchl't in reverence eence or twice at the monument tae Scott Skinner (1843-1927) in Allenvale Cemetery and the een tae Peter Milne (1824-1908) oot in Tarland bearin the inscription as abeen.

Dash't tho, I wis nivver sae touch't as at the unveilin at Nellfield Cemetery on Sunday efterneen, o a granite heidsteen tae Milne, dubbit in's day, the Tarland Minstrel.

That the Lord Lieutenant o Aiberdeenshire saw fit tae be there made it aa the mair impressive bit fin young Eilidh Anderson, aa spruc't up in her clan tartan kilt, gaed forrit tae lay a posy in front o the heidsteen, it got till's - maist o ye wid o seen the photo in Monday's P &J.

Eilidh is the niece o the lad that bears the accolade o the modern day "Tarland Minstrel", Paul Anderson, an it wis aa throwe him that at last Milne wis nae langer tae lie hodden in a pauper's grave.

PAUL, jist noo, a research Fellow at Elphinstone Institute cwidna lat things abee as his myn wis set tae find far Peter Milne wis beerit haein deet in the Aiberdeen Peerhoose an dumptit wi ithers somewye in the toon.

The ootcome wis that Paul's researchin pyntit tae es spot in Nellfield cemetery and raisin siller throwe concerts an donations wis able tae mark, in a fittin wye, the contribution Peter Milne made tae oor music.

Ere's links wi the self-styl't Strathspey King, James Scott Skinner, fa started oot as an aucht-eer-aal playin in Milne's band at dances roon aboot Don an Dee.

Skinner wis tae reca in articles for the People's Journal those days o yore far the barns the dances were held in hid earthen fleers, plunks laid on tap o secks o corn wis the seatin an myn transport wis shank's meer or the bike.

Aboot fower in the mornin, they aa made for hame an Skinner wis tae write 'I often wonder how I, a boy of eight or nine years, survived the physical strain and the loss of sleep . . . it was nothing for Peter and me to trudge eight or 10 weary miles on a slushy wet night in order to fulfil a barn engagement'.

Weel they were tae gyang their ain roadies an Scott Skinner's career his been weel documentit bit lang overdue his been the acknowledgement o the debt we owe tae Peter Milne for pittin his mark on oor unique fiddle music, describit as 'perhaps the very best interpreter of Highland Strathspey Deeside could ever boast till the after days of the vastly popular Scott Skinner'.

Foo than did sic a talent fa on hard times? Weel apparently Milne wis said tae tak tae opium as a cure for rheumatism fin workin doon in Manchester an syne a daft caper in a pub fin somebody ruggit a cheer fae oot aneth him cripl't him, spennin the hinmaist ten eer o's life in hospital.

HE DIDNA write aa that mony tunes bit the eens he did were toppers. Een that comes tae myn is 'John McNeil's Reel', composed for a celebratit heilan dancer an still play't ower an ower the day, a tune that fun its wye ower the Atlantic far the French Canadians claim't it as their ain, bit they jist ca'd it 'Big John'.

Ay, nae only dae we owe a debt tae Peter Milne bit tae Paul Anderson for the valuable darg an gran tae see the name Elphinstone Institute on the gravesteen at Nellfield.

Noo fae greats o the past, lat's get richt up tae date wi the news es wikk o twa freens o mine that hae made their mark in their ain lifetime an for that, richtly honourit in their ain circles.

First, congratulations tae that gentle giant o the hivvywechts o the Heilan Games scene, Bill Anderson, on bein inductit inta the Scottish Sports Hall o Fame anent sic like as Ally McCoist an Yvonne Murray.

WELL deserv't and acknowledgin the Heilan Games scene at last - toorist billies tak note.

Syne there wis Jim McColl bein recognis't at the Royal Television Society Awards as bein best Nations an Regions presenter, es efter the eident darg ower 30 eers in front o the cameras.

That they be MBE's afore jist rubber-stamps their achievments athoot ony cash-for-honours capers.

Lost in the Brave New World of NHS

Push for Personalised Services

Lost in the Brave New World of NHS

Have a look at the two posts above and contrast the difference between the Imaginary that Mr Blair thinks exists, because he would never have to do this himself, and the Reality that people are finding.

This is a minor example of what happens out there in the "real" world, not what the politicians think happens. In the Independent article Jemima Lewis says

Luddite though I may be, I am far more computer (and consumer)-literate than many of my parents' generation. It is the most fundamental principle of the NHS that it should be accessible to all, yet these well-meaning, sloppily executed reforms may create a two-tier system of access. The young, determined and scientifically minded will be able to find their way to the best care. The old-fashioned, impatient or technologically inept will give up in despair - myself included.

Whilst in the BBC article Mr Blair called for

"truly personalised" services with people given the information and power needed to choose a school or hospital.

This is typical of this government who thinks that everything is rosy out there as they regard us from their High Towers.

And as for the comment from Patricia (Best year so far) Hewitt that

Technology is really expanding what is possible.

She wouldn't know what "Technology" was if it slapped her round the chops. As the shadow Health Secretary put it

Rather than more warm words, what people want is for the government to trust the professionals.

Push for Personalised Services

Lost in the Brave New World of NHS

Jack Flash - Passer-by bowled over by nude OAP

Couldn't resist this story from Perth.

A pensioner is being sought by police after he was spotted driving naked around a bowling green in Perth on a motorised scooter.

The man, thought to be in his 70s, was seen in South Inch by a passer-by at about 1000 GMT on Thursday.

The witness was concerned he would be seen by children at a nearby park.

A Tayside Police spokesman said the man put his clothes back on and drove off. The man's scooter is believed to have a top speed of 3mph.

The sheer speed of his getaway obviously dissuaded any pursuers.

Apparently several officers were dispatched to the bowling club to investigate but the fugitive had gone - leaving tyre tracks as the only clue to his identity.

A spokeswoman for Tayside Police confirmed they were looking for the fugitive. She said:

"At 10.10am, a naked man was seen on a disability motorised scooter at the South Inch.

"The area was searched and there was no trace of the male involved. We are still actively looking for him."

Lucky he wasn't out today or he would have been frozen to his saddle!

BBC NEWS Scotland Tayside and Central Passer-by bowled over by nude OAP

Six Billion Pound Man

Many years ago before the Olympics were awarded to London, Mr Brown wanted nothing to do with them. Now he seems to see them as his Millenium Dome, and we know how that turned out.

Two articles in the first Post are quite interesting on the subject.

The first shows how Gordon has turned from a critic of the games to now supporting the games to the tune of 6 Billion pounds that he has magiced up from You and I, because make no bones about it , that is where the money will be coming from.

The second shows the deep incompetency of Tessa Jowell who even a few weeks ago was denying the 9 billion forecast.

I love the idea of the Olympics coming to Britain as I think they can be good for us in many ways, but the unfortunate problem is that we have an incompetent government interfering and meddling in their usual way. Now the Olympic's are more a roundabout way of regenerating some of the more needy (Labour Supporting?) parts of London without proper consultation or planning.

I predict the final bill will be way above the projected 9 billion and we will all be paying for these Games for some time.

The First Post : Gordon Brown's Olympics embarrassment

Burning our Money - BBC Jam

Over at Burning our Money The very nice Mr Wat Tyler has given me some credit for a story on the BBC Jam fiasco.

As he said Alastair:

highlights the abandonment of the BBC's online education service, BBC Jam. This "free" service has only been up since last year, but it has been severely criticised by private sector education providers as unfairly damaging their businesses. They have taken their complaint to the European Commission, and the BBC Trust has now abruptly terminated the whole thing. It's a complete mess that has flushed £75m of our money down the toilet.

In fairness to the BBC, Alastair points out that the Jam project was landed on them by the government- in particular, our old friends the Commissar and Charles Clarke.

The original article I wrote is here - BBC Jamming Suspended.

Lions led by Donkeys

According to the Telegraph article Andrew Lansley, the Conservative health spokesman, said today that a consultant wrote to him this week and said that doctors today were

"lions led by donkeys"

- a phrase used originally about First World War soldiers.

"He’s right. The appalling shambles made of Modernising Medical Careers risks undermining the morale and the future of the medical profession. What is the point of expanding medical school places and then destroying the career progression of junior doctors

I am assuming that the Consultant means that the Government are the Donkeys as some of the more senior members of the Medical establishment seem very similar to the Generals in WW1.

Any way it is good to see that David Cameron will be supporting the Doctors and I wish them all the best in getting this travesty overturned.

For earlier posts on MMC/MTAS look here.

UCAS goes PC

I see UCAS will be asking for details of parents jobs and educations levels on their next applications forms.

I can't really see what relevance this information could possibly have to a University when it was considering an applicant, apart from to fulfil some sort of "quota" to allow them to display how PC they are in taking students from differing backgrounds.

Apparently Bill Rammell, the Higher Education minister, said the Government supported the plans.

"We believe that admissions officers should have as much information as possible to help them to assess who has the potential to succeed," he said.The new information on candidates' backgrounds would ensure all applications were "genuinely dealt with on their merits", he told the House of Commons.

How this information could help with the above I have no idea. I would tend to more agree with the following from Martin Stephen, the High Master of St Paul's, the independent boys' day school in London, whowsaid:

"This is taking university entry out of academic achievement and straight into social engineering."

Applicants must say if parents are graduates

Hackers Heaven - Opening near you Soon

The words "Government", "NHS", "Security" fill me with dread. The idea that our NHS could run a secure computer system, available to all and sundry, fills me with dread from some of the errors and foul-ups they have made in the past. I wouldn't trust them to keep my name and address secure far less more personal details.

Some idea of the task in front of the NHS is shown in this article.

Whilst reading the BBC article you wonder if it is the BBC dumbing down the level of security required on such a system or it is just the fact that the NHS is incompetent. The trouble is, that it is most likely, a bit of both.

After working for the past 28 years in the IT world I can tell you that no system available to all and sundry on the Internet can truly be secure, even if it has the best brains behind it. Even within a "closed" system available to only GP's and Hospital staff it will be insecure and the main reason will not be technology it will be people.

People who lend out their access as its "easier" , people who leave a PC logged on, people who just have a look for a bit of curiosity, People who design bad systems and processes etc etc. People will always be the weak link.

My advice, when the time comes don't let the buggers put any of your information onto the Spine. Say no!

BBC NEWS | Health | Home access to NHS records plan

McConnell hints at Cynical Electioneering.

The Election is obviously on our First Minister's mind as he announces the A96 Aberdeen to Inverness road is likely to be the next big upgrade in Scotland.

This is despite the fact that only three years ago Scottish Executive officials insisted not enough vehicles used the road to justify dualling it. They said it could even handle 50 per cent more traffic.

Not that I'm cynical mind you.

Richard Lochhead, the Scottish National Party MSP for Moray, also welcomed the First Minister's comments.

He said:

"The people of Moray will welcome the growing cross-party support and momentum for upgrading the A96 and dragging this vital transport link into the 21st century.

"I do hope Mr McConnell's belated recognition of the need to improve the A96 is not just him getting carried away in the run-up to May's elections."

Nanette Milne, Tory MSP for the North-east, said:

"This is very encouraging and exceptionally long-overdue news. It is one of the most dangerous roads in Scotland."

The Scotsman - Scotland - Aberdeen - McConnell hint lifts hopes in road battle

Cherie says "Say Sorry now"

Great idea get the typical scroat who's just been convicted of kicking someone's head in to say sorry to his victim. Most scroats have a limited ability to recognise they have done wrong and the ideas of saying "Sorry" is risible.

Cherie needs to get out into the real world with her husband and see what happens, rather than say sorry, the scroat will spit in your face and do it again.

Her advice would be better placed aimed at her husband who should be saying sorry for the mess he making of "running" this country. Unfortunately Tony behaves a bit like a scoat and rather than apologising, laughs in your face before he steals off to "earn" money on the lecture circuit.


Independent Online Edition > UK Politics

BBC Jamming suspended

The BBC has had to suspend its £150m online education Service BBC JAM as it has fallen foul of EEC regulations. It follows complaints from commercial online companies to the European Commission about the £150m project.

The project was set up despite warnings and strict conditions placed on it in 2003 about likely impacts on other companies.

Under the BBC's charter, the corporation is charged with promoting learning for school-aged children.

One of the conditions BBC Jam was set up with was that half of its content budget had to be spent on commissioning material from outside the BBC.

Conservative broadcasting spokesman Ed Vaizey said:

"This is a mess of the government's own making.

"They told the BBC to set up Jam even though a number of education companies were already providing those services.

"We have constantly raised concerns about BBC Jam and its impact on the private sector. It does not surprise us that the service has been suspended. The blame rests fairly with the government."

Oh well that's another few million of our money the Government has wasted.

The complainants say the service, designed as a learning resource for children aged five to 16 in support of the national curriculums, damages their businesses.

BBC Jam is an online learning resource for children, designed to be used at home to support key areas of the school curriculums across the UK. It will be suspended from 20 March 2007.

Acting BBC Trust Chairman Chitra Bharucha said in a statement:

"The Trust has requested BBC management to prepare fresh proposals for how the BBC should deliver the Charter obligation to promote formal education and learning, meeting the online needs to school age children.

"Despite a rigorous approval process involving the BBC Governors, the Department for Culture Media and Sport, and the European Commission resulting in extensive conditions on the service, BBC Jam has continued to attract complaints from the commercial sector about the parameters of its activities."

An official statement is available here.


BBC NEWS | Education | BBC suspends net learning project

Pensioner denies smoke ban breach

Apparently this is the first court case where a person has appeared in court charged with smoking in a prohibited place. Such an irony for a man with the name of Wraith to be done for smoking.

I'm frankly amazed by that, though from what I have seen the law does seem to be being obeyed wherever I have been.

When the law came in nearly a year ago now, I would have said that it would have been a regular occurrence.

Mind you from the story it appears that the guy may have been a little under the weather.

The final irony of appearing in court on National No-Smoking day is just exquisite!

Now to persuade my wife to kick the habit, or maybe I can just get the Kids to do it for me.


BBC NEWS Scotland North East/N Isles Pensioner denies smoke ban breach

Catholics turning away from Labour?

Labour and many Catholic priests are having some problems seeing eye-to-eye at the moment over a number of issues. Many of these are related to the family unit which most Catholics would see as Mum, Dad and Kids, whereas Labour tend to be a bit more free than this.

What is certain, from my quick poll of Catholics I know (my wife is a Catholic), is that Labour votes will be few and far between, and whilst they might not be representative of the whole of Scotland they are from vastly different areas and backgrounds.

None of them seem likely to vote for the CPA, but they all have one thing in common and that is they would like Labour and for, the most part, the Lib Dems out. Votes will be going to the SNP and the Tories and tactical voting will be going on.


The Scotsman - Labour and the turbulent priests

New Adam Smith £20 note launched

Nice to see the head of a Scotsman on the Bank of England £20 note.

As Mr Smith said:

What can be added to the happiness of a man who is in health, out of debt, and has a clear conscience?

Too which he might have added the pleasure of being on a Bank of England £20!

BBC NEWS Business New Adam Smith £20 note launched

Life Thru a Lens.

Apparently after its failed attempt to have one over Dave using the Chameleon, Labour are looking at another attempt to smear him using the Robbie Williams song 'Life Thru a Lens'

The song, which contains lyrics such as: "You sound so funny with your voice all plummy/Now your cheques bounced better run to your mummy ... You're scared of the poor and needy/Is that why you're all inbreedy," will be used to further send up Cameron's toffee-nosed credentials.

"Although it's now a few years old, it contains lyrics which we thought were perfect for a piss-take film on Cameron," I'm told.

"At the moment it's just a question of editing the best bits and using it with the best clips.

"It may well be something that gets used in a few months' time."

I have the feeling, that as usual, the Labour PR machine has read it all wrong. They just don't get what makes something funny rather than just plain boring, especially as Mr Williams is now a bit past it all.

Now if the Tories were to make a few adverts featuring our Gordy as the Rev I.M. Jolly that might be funny as in

"I am the Reverend I.M. Jolly. That's Jolly, spelt M-O-R-B-I-D."

More Jollies here


Independent Online Edition > Pandora

MMC/MTAS on 18 Doughty Street tonight

18 Doughty Street will be discussing the MMC/MTAS farce tonight.

for previous stories see here

18 Doughty Street : Politics for Adults | TALK TV

Twit?

I've been waiting for my favourite policeman, well he is my big bro, to blog on this before I said anything as I'm in no place to say what is good policing and what is a drunken slapper trying to kick, gouge, hit, scratch, maim and otherwise injure a policeman.

One really good point he raises is about the aspect of racism being brought in, As he says

What most will agree with though is the utterly despicable way in which Race has become an issue in this matter. It has been said before that many of the so-called ad-hoc anti-racist forums/spokespersons are actually, on many an occasion, creating a more divided not diverse society. This time, I believe 'they' have shot themselves in the foot.

As one commentator on another blog put it.

The arrest of a drunken and violent female is always a bit of a mare for a male officer. It never looks pretty and whilst you are dealing with her you are worrying not just about your safety, but also what spurious allegation the drunken thing is going to make.
Add to that the fact that current UDTs (Unarmed Defence Tactic) dont look too pretty either. Knee strikes, baton strikes and distraction blows look very aggressive to the untrained observer.
The officer was doing what his force trained him to do, the outcry is over how ugly it looks. It would appear at the moment his force are standing up for him, even a statement from his chief.
This is all a media circus, some yorkie wannabee Al Sharpton is trying to build a reputation out of it. He is a silly man who makes silly comments and should be ignored. He does however mention a few of the magic words the press love to hear.
Storm in a teacup, good luck to the PC involved, ignore it all and enjoy the 8-4 for a while.
Alternatively wait until one of the redtops does a few background checks on her, exposes her as a cross between Jade Goody and Punchy McPunchy and you can sell them your tale of suffering for a few grand.

As sergeant Stan Jablonski used to say

Let's do it to them before they do it to us.

Welcome to Toy Town
The Home of Noddy (& Mr Plod): Twit?

Blair called to account over abandoned troops

The Independent on Sunday reports today that

British soldiers returning from war are suffering unprecedented levels of mental health problems amid claims that the long-standing "military covenant" guaranteeing them proper care is in tatters.

They have investigated details of problems reported by returning service personnel from Iraq and Afghanistan and reveal that

More than 21,000 full-time servicemen and women who have served in Iraq, as well as army reservists, have developed anxiety and depression.

Apart from terrible toll on service personnel the paper also reports on the fact that the government is doing little to help those who return to our shores injured or maimed, it reports

The extent of the hidden costs of war is exposed in the same week that five British soldiers were killed in action in Afghanistan and Iraq, the highest death toll since 2003. A total of 6,600 British troops have been injured in Iraq and Afghanistan and more than 600 flown back to Britain for treatment. But Combat Stress and the British Legion say that even these figures grossly underestimate the real scale of the psychological injuries among troops. The charities warn that the true cost in terms of family breakdown and broken lives will not be felt by society for at least a decade.

They accuse the Ministry of Defence of abandoning vulnerable soldiers, some of whom experience crippling nightmares and flashbacks, by closing dedicated military hospitals and putting troops in civilian wards.

One senior Serviceman, Air Marshal Sir John Walker said

He believed that the military covenant is at "breaking point". The former head of Defence Intelligence Service and deputy chairman of the Joint Intelligence Committee said: "Has the covenant been broken? Well in my opinion it has certainly been stretched to breaking point. This relationship should be based on trust, and I am afraid sending our forces into an illegal war is a severe breach of trust."

At the end of this month, Britain will become the only country in Europe without a dedicated military hospital when it closes the doors of Haslar Hospital at Gosport, Hampshire.

Meanwhile an MoD spokesman said that the defence budget had increased and that junior soldiers had received a substantial pay rise.

That should really help!

Independent Online Edition > UK Politics

Cromar - Scotland

Cromar
Originally uploaded by fitaloon.

I will be busy this weekend with too many things to mention so I'll leave you with a view down into the Valley where I live.

Also A little poem about it too.

The Slack of Tillylodge

By George Stephen


Lo, what a prospect meets the eyes
When, gazing raptured o'er Cromar,
Beyond the Grampian peaks arise
The crowning heights of Lochnagar.

Though many a fateful year has passed
Since first I raptured to this view,
Each time's more sacred than the last
As I my eager tryst renew.

I love the Valley of the Dee
As scanned from viewpoints near and far;
But no spot is more dear to me
Than Slack of Tillylodge in Mar.

And sometimes by the Aegean Sea,
By beaches red with blood-soaked arms,
The Slack of Tillylodge for me
Seemed Paradise 'mid war's arms.*

As Moses viewed the Promised Land,
Beyond dear Jordan's stream afar;
So on this vantage ground I stand,
And long for lovely Lochnagar.

Mr sacred tryst I oft renew,
I long to be three even now;
And heaven seems nearer as I view
The hills beyond Cromar's dear howe.


*While on service in Gallipoli with the 89th Field Ambulance in 1915, I became very friendly with Major George Davidson of Torphins, son of the Rev. Dr. Davidson of Logie Coldstone. Many an evening Dr. Davidson would come to my dug-out and say: "Aye, Stephen, how would you like to be going round by Willie Robbie's tonight, and be having a look at the hills across the Howe of Mar?"

(From The Deeside Field, 2nd Series, No.6 1970)

Cameron sacks Tory front-bencher over 'black bastards' gibe

The title of this entry shows just how inaccurate papers can be when they want to sensationalise their news headlines. If the headline had said the truth that Patrick Mercer had said the following

"But that's the way it is in the Army. If someone is slow on the assault course, you'd get people shouting: 'Come on you fat bastard, come on you ginger bastard, come on you black bastard.'"

It wouldn't have had quite the same effect.

I thought long and hard on what to say on this entry because it's a very delicately balanced matter, where does racism start as against PC speak, and also because we are now so scared about discussing racism that even someone trying to talk about racism gets tainted with it.

Most people in this country (the UK) are to some extent xenophobes, in that we don't like change and mistrust the stranger in our midst. This might apply to the townie who moves to a rural area, the English person who moves to Scotland (or Vice-Versa) or the, dare I use this word, immigrant who arrives from somewhere else in the world.

We will regard them with suspicion until they become part of the scenery. I know some people in villages in Scotland, who even after 30 years are still regarded as "white settlers". My Father-in-Law is one of the "White Settlers", before that he had been 20 odd years in the Marines where he had the dual problems of being Scottish and a stand out Carrot Top.

What I am trying to say is that we as a nation take a long time to get over our fears, and to counter these fears we tend to react against them in a less than tolerant manner, but gradually over time things become better as we realise that these fears were groundless. What was said or done 30 years ago was not acceptable 20 years ago and what was said or done 20 years ago was not acceptable 10 years ago, and so it goes on, as we all, hopefully adapt and learn.

To go back to Patrick Mercer there appears to be no doubt that he was a good soldier and leader of men (and women!). When he left the army back in 1999, nearly ten years ago, he then moved into the vastly different Political world and appeared to take to it very well, this is not surprising in some ways, as the organisational and people skills he learned whilst in service would have helped him to get things done.

However being a politician is a vastly different "game" you need to think more on the actions and reactions of your words rather than your deeds. So when he said

"I came across a lot of ethnic minority soldiers who were idle and useless, but who used racism as cover for their misdemeanours,"

It was taken literally to mean that a lot of ethnic soldiers were idle and useless and hiding behind racism. Not the words of a great politician. What exactly did he mean? Was he mis-quoted? Was it just clumsy phrasing? Patrick Mercer says, he meant that he had met a couple of men like this in his 20 years of service.

Unfortunately the whole tone of the Times article appears to have Patrick Mercer take on a slightly Old World and Colonel Blimp type image. It appears to say that racism was tolerated under his command and that he himself allowed it to happen.

From all accounts this appears to have been untrue. He was backed by one of the members of his battalion, Leroy Hutchison, who said

"In my 12 years with the battalion no form of racism went unpunished."

Patrick Mercer has accused the Times of putting an "extremely mendacious angle" on his comments. I would suggest that he helped then do this to some extent by his misunderstanding of what Politics is about.

He is guilty not of being a racist, but, of not being a Politician and this is why David Cameron has rightly sacked him from the Front Bench. I am sure he will continue being an effective MP.

One final thought from Muhammed Ali in 1996 which is very relevant to these times and especially to all the men and women in the services.

"When people are forced to interact to survive, their prejudices diminish."

It just takes too long elsewhere.

The Scotsman - Bill for CalMac tender is £15m

The price of putting the CalMac ferry contract out to tender has been put at £15M according to an official Government response. As only one company, CalMac, is left in the tender this is perhaps rather a lot. However it may be the tip of the iceberg as the P&J reports the cost may be more properly put at £40m

Many other countries with similar sort of situations have managed to work out a way round the EEC legislation but we appear to be unable or unwilling to do this.

As one comment put it

The world belongs to the Lord,
And all that it contains
Except the Western Isles
For they belong to McBraynes

The Scotsman - Bill for CalMac tender is £15m

NHS blames Kylie for cancer target failures

Apparently Kylie is behind (nice one) problems with some regions in Scotland failing to make their targets. This would of course be the "Kylie" defence when Patricia Hewitt comes to explaining why the NHS is in such a mess.

Highland NHS in particular struggled.

An NHS Highland board meeting heard that, while in Scotland as a whole there had been a 20 per cent increase in breast-cancer referrals in the past year, referrals there had soared by 40 per cent in 12 months.

Elaine Mead, NHS Highland's chief operating officer, admitted the board's cancer waiting-time statistics were "very poor" but she said work was going on to improve the situation.

Christine McIntosh, the board's cancer network manager, said: "The Kylie effect is thought to be at least partly behind the increase in referrals seen across the country.

One can only think the highlands are more Kylie daft than the rest of the country.

The Scotsman - NHS blames Kylie for cancer target failures

AC Milan 1-0 Celtic (agg 1-0)

Hard luck to Celtic who battled hard but in the end lost out in extra time to AC Milan.

I have two sad wee boys here , but one who is happier as, thanks to ex-Celt Henrik Larsson, Man Utd managed to get past Lille.


BBC SPORT | Football | Europe | AC Milan 1-0 Celtic (agg 1-0)

Shock as 8000 Car Workers made Redundant.

If the details of this headline were true then every paper and TV station would be blaring it out 24 hours per day. But as its rich doctors who cares. It is the last story on the Health page on the BBC web site. It barely mentions on others. Channel 4 is about the only notable exception.

Review of flawed recruitment process welcome but does not go far enough, says BMA

The Department of Health has today (Tuesday 6 March, 2007) announced a review of the Medical Training Application Service for junior doctors.

In response, Dr Jo Hilborne, chairman of the BMA Junior Doctors Committee, says:

“The government has finally been forced to address the appalling problems with this system. We have been warning since last summer that these reforms were being rushed through too quickly. From the point of view of the thousands of doctors who’ve been messed around, given incorrect information, or denied job opportunities that they deserved, it’s a shame the government didn’t listen then.

“Not only is this response, too late, it also does not go far enough. While we welcome a review, the only fair solution now is for the interview process to be suspended until it can be clearly shown that no doctor has been disadvantaged as a result of the government’s mistakes.

We are disappointed that the government has not invited a BMA representative to sit on the review panel, given that despite all the problems we have always tried to work constructively with them to make this process work.”

Dr Jonathan Fielden, chairman of the BMA Consultants Committee, adds:

“We have repeatedly highlighted countless problems with this system. The flawed implementation process has caused the medical profession to lose faith that we are appointing the best doctors to care for patients. Consultants have been placed in an impossible position by having to shortlist forms in too short a time. A review is welcome, but action is necessary and overdue.”

Patricia's response is awaited, though it looks like she' doing a Gordo and has disappeared, and is certainly not available to her constituents.

BBC report here.

Much better Channel 4 report of chaos here which includes decent video report.

Newswire Article: Review of flawed recruitment process welcome but does not go far enough, says BMA 06/03/2007

How Blair has stood by Niger Claim

Do you know what the "Niger Claim" is. According to this article it is notorius and first surfaced in Britain.

You might not know it by that name but is has led to one of the biggest on-going disasters the world has seen. The "Niger Claim" refers to how Iraq was attempting to get its Uranium from Niger for Saddam's supposed nuclear programme.

Unfortunately the "claim" as reported by the Indepedent

which was picked up by President George Bush in his January 2003 State of the
Union speech three months before the invasion, was used as a key piece of
evidence to justify the war. But the alleged incriminating documents forwarded
to the UN nuclear agency were found to be a crude fake.

turned out to be a fake.

The Independent goes on to say

The fallout from the flawed intelligence has claimed a slew of victims in
Washington, including the scalp of the Central Intelligence Agency chief George
Tenet.
Yesterday, almost four years after the Iraq invasion, the nuclear
dossier led to the toppling of a central White House figure, when Lewis
"Scooter" Libby, a former aide to Vice President Dick Cheney, was convicted of
perjury.
However, despite the CIA's reservations over the central claim that
Saddam was allegedly attempting to buy yellowcake from Africa for his nuclear
weapons programme, and the White House having formally backed away from the
report, the British Government still clings to its original position.

So now you know what the "Niger Claim" is. Perhaps Mr Blair will use the Elf Defence to justify his claims.

Oh, by the way pop along to Iraq Dossier for more details on the work of fiction that took us to war.

Independent Online Edition > Americas

Aberdeen Councillor Quits - Update 3

A further update on this story of an Aberdeen Lib Dem Councillor, Raymond Hutcheon, quitting after 20 Years.

According to the local rag, the P&J, a 17 year old girl, Kylie Hufton, appeared on petition at Aberdeen Sheriff Court charged with allegedly conspiring to abduct and assault Councillor Hutcheon.

I'll leave you to ponder on that one.

Both Raymond Hutcheon and Kate Dean, Lib Dem and local Council leader, declined to comment yesterday.

The P&J had some more information on Raymond:

Yesterday, the councillor's home in Corsehill Croft, which has around an acre of land and stands on one corner of a busy crossroads, remained deserted.

The garden was uncared for, littered with broken glass and bits of cable and plastic.

A rusty blue van, a caravan, a trailer and a Ford Escort with no numberplate sat in the back garden and an adjoining yard was a mess of car parts and junk. There was another old van in the yard, emblazoned with Raymond Hutcheon Ltd, which had a dirty mattress inside.

The house was in a dishevelled state. Paint was peeling from the front entrance and glass panes in the back porch were smashed. Dead plants, keys and medicine bottles were scattered on windowsills.

Neighbours were reluctant to criticise Mr Hutcheon but described him variously as "foolish", "naive" and "misled".

One neighbour said there were regular "comings and goings" at the councillor's house during the night and women would get out of cars and taxis would arrive.

The Elf defence

The BBC reports the defence used in the following case:

A man accused of a stealing underwear from a shop in a knifepoint raid believed he was a female elf at the time, Belfast Crown Court has heard.

It went on to say:

Robert Boyd, 45, from Broadlands in Carrickfergus, is accused of holding up staff at the Orchid shop in Belfast disguised in a wig, hat and glasses.

He told the court he had been involved in a role-playing game at the time, and his character was an elf named Beho.

He denies robbery but says he may have blurred reality and fantasy.

He also said it "could be right" that Beho had intended to rob the shop - although he told the jury he could not remember what was going through his mind at the time.

I can think of a few other people in our government who might need to use a similar type of defence shortly.

Hat Tip to Yokel on PB for this gem.

UPDATE. Elf Defence fails

BBC NEWS Northern Ireland Elf defence for 'lingerie thief'

Aberdeen Councillor quits - Part 2

I knew this was going to break into something bigger when I blogged on this earlier, it just had that feel to it. It now appears that Councillor Hutcheon was the subject of a possible abduction/assault plot with links to the earlier murder of Robert Mair.

At the moment the now ex-councillor is keeping quiet as to his reasons for resigning.

This is not the first time that Raymond Hutcheon, a councillor for the past twenty years, has been in trouble, five years ago he was warned by the police for Kerb Crawling and then a few months later he had to quit the Governorship of a Local school for children with behaviour problems after a relationship with a former prostititute and drug addict.

Quite how a man with this sort of background can have been a councillor and then on so many committees is quite beyond me. I imagine the Police were most interested in his being on the Police Board, and as for being on the Standards and Scrutiny committee... Words fail me.

The Herald has many details here

Video report here:

The Daily Record reported in 2005:

A KERB-CRAWLING councillor appointed to probe Scotland's sex industry claimed last night: 'I'm the ideal man for the job.'

Raymond Hutcheon, 48, escaped with a warning after being caught by police with a young woman in his van in 2002.

Months later, he was forced to resign from a school board after moving another girl - former vice girl and drug addict Nicola Stewart - into his Aberdeen home.

That relationship has now collapsed.

The Record can now reveal that Hutcheon has been appointed to a Holyrood team to form policy on how to control lap-dancing bars, sex shops and massage parlours.

Last night, the Liberal Democrat Aberdeen city councillor admitted he didn't tell Parliament bosses about his troubled past.

But he insisted it made him the ideal candidate to work alongside police chiefs, legal experts and leading academics.

Hutcheon confessed: 'I was a bit naive in thinking that this wouldn't drag everything back out again. If I had been spineless I would have said 'no' to going on this body and what happened in my private life would not have been revisited.

'Whether it changes the perspective of the others on this working group as to my suitability is down to them.

'All my skeletons are out of the cupboard, in living Technicolor.

'At certain times in the last couple of days I've really thought, 'I'm an idiot - I should have said no and just walked away from it'.'

In 2002, Hutcheon was spotted with a vice girl in his van a few hundred yards from Aberdeen University medical centre, where he works as an illustrator.

He was approached by two police officers but let off with a caution.

Hutcheon was then called to a meeting with the city council's legal director Crawford Langley, where he admitted the incident.

Yesterday, he claimed it was all a 'misunderstanding'.

And he added: 'The person I was speaking to was a drug addict who had to fund her addiction.'

Privately, Hutcheon has insisted he was trying to help the woman as she was the daughter of a constituent.

He claimed: 'If I had said more at the time I am quite sure it would never have been classed as kerb-crawling.'

Just months later, divorced Hutcheon moved a former drug-addicted prostitute into the home he shared with his 91-year-old mother and his two children.

The bizarre set-up shocked many of his colleagues. He was forced to resign from the board of governors at Aberdeen's Oakbank School for disturbed and difficult youngsters.

The revelations also didn't sit well with his position on the council's standards and scrutiny committee, which sets the code of conduct for council members.

Hutcheon yesterday admitted: 'It really was a very difficult time. We were an item. She was staying in my house at that time.

'Our friends were aware of what her problems had been. We were not trying to hide anything.

'My marriage broke up four or five years before that time.

'I was a single bloke in a relationship with a single female who had a dodgy background.

'She was someone who was living in my house with me. She wasn't someone I was keeping hidden away.'

Hutcheon said his priority had been to protect Nicola, who was trying to wean herself off drugs.

Last night, he confirmed the relationship was now over, claiming the publicity surrounding the affair 'certainly didn't help'.

Hutcheon said he hoped he would be still made welcome on the new working group, launched last week by the minister for finance and public service reform,Tom McCabe.

The group, including council and police chiefs, is chaired by Linda Costelloe Baker, the Scottish legal services ombudsman.

They will be given a whole year to come up with a report on massage parlours, sex shops, lap-dancing and pole-dancing bars.

One source said Councillor Hutcheon's experiences made him 'an inspired choice' for the 12--member working party.

And Hutcheon himself admitted: 'What I have is experience of the drugs problem. I have that insight. It's certainly knowledge and information that I think may be helpful.

'Whether I'm still on the committee come the first meeting on April 20, we'll have to wait and see.

Announcing the group, McCabe, said: 'The Executive is committed to ensuring that people working in the adult entertainment industry are protected and that controls on the industry are as robust and effective as possible.

'The working group will review the scope and impact of adult entertainment in Scotland and make recommendations to Ministers on the way forward.'

But leading Tory MSP Bill Aitken said: 'This must be very embarrassing for the Scottish Executive. Clearly they did not research Councillor Hutcheon's background.

'I doubt if his fellow working group members will be overly delighted at some of his comments.

'I daresay this guy's being upfront about his past but it leaves the adult entertainment working party looking a bit risible.'

A Scottish Executive spokeswoman said: 'Membership of the working group reflects a diverse range of interests.

'The differing backgrounds of members will help the group in its work to review the industry.'

BBC NEWS | Scotland | North East/N Isles | Kidnap probe as councillor quits

Aberdeen Councillor resigns after search

BBC reports a Lib Dem councillor in Aberdeen has resigned after Police searched his house on Monday.

Apparently he tendered his resignation this morning.

The search was in connection with the death of Robert Mair.
Police were apparently looking for his car and dog after his body was discovered. These were found over the weekend.

Councillor Hutcheon served on a number of sub-committees including Drugs and Alcohol Task Group, Grampian Joint Police Board and Standards and Scrutiny.


BBC NEWS | Scotland | North East/N Isles | Councillor resigns after search

Record Tory poll lead, and it’s likely to grow

The poll in todays Times shows the Tories on 38%, Labour on 30% and Liberal Democrats on 18%.

This is from the pollster normally most kind to Labour.

Any less than 30% for Labour will take then into a critical point where their polling might drop off rapidly.

Roll on the next election.

Record Tory poll lead, and it’s likely to grow-News-Politics-TimesOnline

MMC & MTAS : The West Midlands Deanery Panel passes vote of no confidence

The MMC and MTAS system is beginning to fall apart at the seams. Previous posts had shown what effect this piece of Nu Labour is having on our young doctors.

Hopefully this will herald the demise of the person who is currently responsible for this pile of typically idealogically based garbage.

That will then definitely be the best year so far for the NHS.

NHS Blog Doctor: MMC & MTAS - part 6 : The West Midlands Deanery Panel passes vote of no confidence

Too few midwives, Too many risks

The numbers:

• £1bn+ paid out by the NHS in compensation for maternity-related claims since 2001
• 23% of pregnant women have Caesareans each year
• 15% limit on Caesareans recommended by the World Health Organisation
• 24% of birth units without proper medical support
• 722,500 births in 2005
• 17,000+ women harmed in maternity safety incidents since November 2003
• 391 women died during, or shortly after, childbirth between 2000 and 2002
• 48% of women have a normal birth
• 63% of babies are delivered by midwives each year
• 7,000+ maternity-related compensation claims since 1995
• 10,000 too few registered midwives
• 18,949 full-time equivalent midwives
• 13 women die for every 100,000 births
• 200% rise in elective Caesareans since 1980
• 50% increase in emergency Caesareans in the past decade
• £1.8bn spent on maternity services in 2006
• £37.7m savings if Caesarean rate fell below 20 per cent
• 1 in 4 chance that a pregnancy will end in miscarriage
• 1 in 200 chance that a baby will be stillborn
• 3,500 babies stillborn in the UK each year
• 70% of stillbirths that remain a mystery
• 159,642 Caesareans carried out in the UK each year

The UK now has one of the highest maternal mortality rates in Europe, with 13 deaths per 100,000.

As the Blessed Hewitt said

"It was the best year from the patients' point of view. More people were treated, faster than ever before and more lives were saved than ever before.
Of course it has been a difficult year for staff, as we have had to sort out the large over-spend. But it is now clear we are absolutely back on track to get the NHS into financial balance by the end of the year."

I have one word for you Ms Hewitt - Bollocks.

Independent Online Edition > Health Medical

RecessMonkey (Alex Hilton) - RIP

Recess Monkey that infamous Labour Blogger has flamed and died after what appears to have been a "mistake" when he announced Margaret Thatchers death on his blog last night at 12:02. Despite repeated requests for sources or denials there was no reply all night.

Apparently this was just a joke as one of his "mates" had texted him with the information which was of course false. As he commented on his blog:

If you’re coming here for well-researched news from a well-resourced news team, I can only suggest you start maybe at bbc.co.uk.

Mr Hilton then proceeded to put the information on his blog after presumably making no checks. One can only suspect his state of mind at the time, possibly overcome by his drunken stupor he forgot all in his haste to put out what he thought were glad tidings. Basking in the warmth of his feelings he went to bed warmed at the thought of his hated Maggie being dead.

His vapid apology this morning will only ensure his demise as a respected? blogger. Long may he Rest in Peace.

By the way Mr Hilton is currently doing the PR for Hilary Benn. That should go down a storm with Mr Benn Senior and Junior.

He is also the man behind the not very successful LabourHome website.

One suspects that Mr Hilton will have a hangover of more than one type this morning.

A final word from the lady herself

I always cheer up immensely if an attack is particularly wounding because I think, well, if they attack one personally, it means they have not a single political argument left.

RecessMonkey » Blog Archive » ***CORRECTION*** MAGGIE JUST OLD ***

Nicol Stephen Faces Storm Over Party Donations (from Sunday Herald)

Tartan hero reveals that Nicol Stephen that well liked MSP has accepted some interesting donations from a local business man in Aberdeen.

Now Nicol is not a stranger from getting his nose into a trough and has been in trouble before for getting his finances sorted out.

Ian Suttie the business man concerned has also been the subject of some interesting deals with the collapse of the Richards Textile company one of the most recent.

Now planning permission for a £50 million "Urban" Village centered at the now defunct Richards premises is to be decided on shortly in Aberdeen.

There is of course no suggestion the donations and permission are linked.

Nicol Stephen Faces Storm Over Party Donations (from Sunday Herald)

Campbell sets five tests for LibDem Euthanasia Policy

Menzies Campbell the pension drawing leader of the Lib Dumbs has set himself five targets before he is allowed to put himself forward for Euthanasia.

His five points, that would allow him to try and become part of NuLab and all its lies and deceits as a government, are fairly straight forward and most decent governments could probably agree with them.

But for the Lib Dumbs to come forward with this at a stage when NuLab is likely to be the minority party is nothing short of political euthanasia for him and his party.

To line up with a detested and sinking party as a ruse to gain a tiny toehold in power will be doomed. Look to Scotland and what their link up with Scottish Labour has done to their popularity and standing.

And one final point where is that great point that Lib Dumbs always go on about Proportional Representation, has that disappeared into the abyss of Political expediency?

This is the politics of desperation and will no doubt rebound on them badly.

Maybe they do need to go back to a leader they can rely on.

Liberal Democrats : Campbell sets five tests for Gordon Brown

McConnell starts dirty war

I see even the Labour Heartlands in Scotland are turning against them.

Labour are going to stop campaigning on their achievements, tricky one that with so little achieved and concentrate on a negative campaign. With their ability to lie, lie and then lie agian this could be interesting as they will almost certainly be caught out a they try and spin themselves back to their troughs.

Apparently the campaign will be as follows:

• Scottish Labour have 'given up' on positive electioneering
• Plans to discredit SNP are revealed by party sources
• Independence bashing will be at centre of campaign

A key source in Labour said:

"There is nothing that Labour can say that will change peoples' minds about Labour. There is no point in having a positive campaign because it doesn't wash. There isn't a bit of evidence to suggest that going positive will make any difference. They don't know Jack and they don't like Labour."

Just about says it all for the contempt Labour now has for the public.

My advice vote anyone but Labour and their lackeys the LibDems. They have failed Scotland too many times already.


Scotsman.com News - McConnell starts dirty war