Tony Blair: EU Presidency fading?

Pardon me if I appear cynical, but could it be that Gordon Brown's fulsome support for our Tony to be anointed President of Europe, is because he knows the chances of it happening are fading fast? I am not sure that our current PM could stomach a presidential motorcade bearing his predecessor, arriving for a summit at No.10. It is said that those leaders who were initially Blair's main supporters, like Sarkozy of France, Merkel of Germany and Berlusconi of Italy, have decided that perhaps he might upstage them too and are now backing away from supporting him.
David Cameron has already sent out the message that he would not be happy with a Blair presidency and since it is likely it will be a Conservative government next time around, then surely the rest of Europe can't ignore his opinion?
Of course, Mr. Blair has not even announced himself interested in a position that has yet to be agreed, but if the job requirement is to strut the stages of the world convincingly, then he is the man.
I am of the view that if there is going to be such a position, then why not him? He does have charisma, he is a well-known face across the globe and has access to the great and good. However, Iraq, Afghanistan and his obsessive loyalty to George W. Bush are already issues haunting him. Also, there's one question I would dearly love to ask him. When Gordon, his Chancellor of the Exchequer, was boasting that never again would there be a "boom and bust" economy, did our Tone believe him and if so, at what point did he realise it was all going wrong?

Andrew Lloyd-Webber battles prostate cancer

Andrew Lloyd-Webber, the 61-year old composer, has been diagnosed with prostate cancer. Fortunately, he is expected to make a full recovery and is expected to return to work soon. This is a man who is worth millions and is proof, once again, that money can buy you many things except happiness and health. Just look at the Duke of Westminster, one of the richest men in the world, who is plagued by depression and self-doubt.
Lord Lloyd-Webber is responsible for some of the most successful musicals, including Joseph & the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Jesus Christ Superstar, Evita, Starlight Express and The Phantom of the Opera. His new show, Love Never Dies, a sequel to Phantom, is due to open early next year and he will also be involved in a TV show to find a Dorothy and Tito for a new production of The Wizard Of Oz.

We wish him well.

Nimrod: Cost-cutting caused tragedy & ten men should hang their heads in shame

In 2006 a Nimrod aircraft crashed in Afghanistan and 14 servicemen lost their lives. A report on the tragedy names and blames five from the MOD, three from BAe and two from QinetiQ, the latter supposedly independent advisers, hired to ensure checks were carried out. The report concluded that in an effort to cut costs, safety checks were just box-ticking exercises, resulting in an "avoidable" explosion. The Nimrod spy plane, blew up shortly after refuelling in mid-air, because a faulty coupling caused over-flowing fuel to leak on to red-hot piping, triggering a blaze, which those on board were powerless to control. Whilst the government should be ashamed of itself for not ensuring that cost cuts did not compromise safety, it is the ten men named who had a sacred "duty of care" to protect the men and women of the armed forces, who failed miserably. Will any of them be prosecuted? The MOD personnel, including a General and an Air Chief Marshall, both now retired, had a special responsibility to ensure the safety of their fellow servicemen. Not to have done so brings ever-lasting shame on them and their treachery should forever be damned within the services they had a duty to protect.
As a gesture of the government's own deep sorrow that such a tragedy should happen on its watch, perhaps the current Defence Secretary, Bob Ainsworth, will announce his own resignation?

Jordon: She had it coming!

Don't you just love her! Dolly Parton said that it took a lot of money to look cheap and I guess she's right. I mean, Jordon, aka Katie Price, is a very rich woman, but classy she ain't. However, the media continues to cover her every move and to feed the frenzied mob she is happy to provide whatever is required to keep those pictures on the front pages. But the press now treat her like a freak show and the only people who would look to her as a role model are those who think calling your daughter Chardonnay will guarantee them Page 3 when the time comes.

She has turned her latest beau, the cage-fighter Alex Reid into a wimp of a man, who has apparently gone home to mother, no doubt with his suitcase of frocks in tow. Her best friend has sold her out to the News Of The World in the guise of concern over her behaviour. It seems Jordon, aka Katie Price, hates sex, which shouldn't be a surprise, since she has treated all her men with the contempt they deserve. Including Peter Andre, who has been making a fine living out of his association with her. Of course, he won't see it like that, as he takes the children out, with the cameras about, recording his very niceness. A photo of him in front of the Taj Mahal would not be inappropriate. Unfortunately, Mother Teresa is dead, so 'OK' can cross that picture out.

And the latest on Jordon, aka Katie Price? She has been nominated for Celebrity Mother Of The Year!

Gordon Brown: Buddy Can you spare a dime?

Our Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, has a nasty habit of saying things that he either has to say the opposite about later, or circumstances reveal the reality, which is not always as he first described. So it is with his claims as Chancellor that Britain would no longer suffer from "boom and bust" and as PM, that, because of his actions in his previous job, this country would weather the storm of recession and emerge better and stronger than any other. Yes. Right.

And now we can see him for what he is. A bad Chancellor of the Exchequer. A worse Prime Minister. Around the world countries are showing signs of real recovery, but Britain remains in recession for the longest period since the second World War. And even when we eventually emerge beaten and broke, there will be a hell of a price to pay in reduced public services, massive unemployment and higher taxes. That's the reality, whoever gets into power.

The recession has been a worldwide phenomenon, but despite his protestations that he is the right man for the job of seeing us through it, Gordon Brown is no longer a trusted figure. Labour spent so many years convincing us and big business that it could handle the economy just as good, if not better, than the Tories. It also let everyone know that it could keep the Unions under control, that the days of damaging strikes would end under its governance. As the general election gets closer and closer, the conclusion must be that Gordon Brown and his government have failed on both counts.

Nick Griffin: Question Time not his finest hour...but let's not be fooled!

I felt cheated. If you are going to lead a right-wing fascist party, with vile policies based on race, then at least have the decency to be charismatic, engaging, persuasive and, most of all, believable. But last night on the BBC's Question Time, we saw an unsure, nervous Nick Griffin behave like a sixth-former making his debut on the school debating team. Some, no, most, of his answers and excuses were flimsy and juvenile, totally contradicting my previous piece that he would be prepared and focused. He couldn't even get his laughter right and, to be honest, I almost felt sorry for him as he crumbled in the face of the opposition surrounding him. He was easy pickings. I did think that the panel and the audience were stacked against him and perhaps there should have been a few more of his supporters for a better balanced debate and to confirm, as if it was needed, the BNP for what it really is.
I don't think it was the man's finest hour and even his most ardent supporters would surely agree with that assessment. Will it bring new recruits to the BNP? Most likely. All publicity is good publicity when the aim is to attract the mad and the bad. But the BBC did the rest of us a favour by showing Nick Griffin to be the racist bigot that he is. But let's not be fooled, there are others of his kind, brighter and more persuasive, just waiting for their moment.

Hey, Mr. Postman: The Royal Mail going down the road of the miners

The postman is one of the most respected people in our society and a reminder of a service that we take for granted. Just as we did with the miners, until Arthur Scargill took them down the road to near-oblivion. Most of us have had to adapt to new changes and efficiencies in the workplace and Royal Mail workers have to face the harsh realities of the commercial world. There are too many of them, working in an environment that belongs to the pre-Internet dark ages. This strike action is a disaster for them, because the public will react negatively, once its post is lost,the catalogue item fails to appear and granny's birthday is spoilt because there are no cards on show. Businesses are already looking elsewhere and will be reluctant to return to an organisation threatened by even more prolonged strikes in the future.

One wonders why the Communication Workers Union decided to take such a militant stance now? It can't be helpful to Gordon Brown and the Labour Party. Do the union executive already accept that Labour will not survive the next General Election and they need to act now before David Cameron hives them off lock, stock and barrel to the highest bidder? Something the PM is unable to do, for fear of the backlash from his own backbenchers. The union appears not only to be locked in battle with the Royal Mail, but also the government itself and Lord Mandelson, the Business Secretary, in particular, who would be quite happy to sell-up.

At this week's PMQs, the Prime Minister looked like a man with the world on his shoulders and David Cameron's accusations that he was "weak" seemed horribly true. This strike is a gift for the Conservatives, giving Cameron a platform to act tough. The Communication Workers Union may be sounding the death knell for the Royal Mail, but it could also help bring down Gordon Brown, who needs a high-profile strike like a hole in the head. Of course, the Prime Minister could surprise us all and be seen to be decisive and strong in his response to the union's action, but we all know that is unlikely. Watching the pickets on television is like a re-visit to the bad old days which spawned one Margaret Thatcher and destroyed the mining industry.

Nick Griffin & The BNP will benefit from BBC appearance

Of course Nick Griffin's appearance on tonight's Question Time will benefit him and his loathsome party the BNP. In terms of the population, the number of people who support the opinions of Griffin and his mob are few, but they are enough in number to spread the sermon of racist hate across the land. Let's not forget that the majority of British citizens want control over people moving to the UK, whether they are from Africa, India or Poland. When the BNP talk about it, what they are saying is that we should let in less blacks and Asians and encourage those already here to go back to where they came from, refusing to accept that many of a colour other than white were born here. The party stirs it up and creates a hostile and fearful atmosphere in mixed communities.

The existing Muslim v. Western Civilisation battle being raged around the world is helpful to a party like the BNP and the Muslim community itself, with it's own segregation ethos, has to take some responsibility for the growth of the white man's frightened anger. Racism works both ways.

However, we must not forget that Nick and his mob are not just against blacks and Asians, but anyone who does not fit into their image of England, that mythical land of King Arthur. It is ironic that the majority of BNP supporters are of the tattooed, heavy-bellied and benefit-reliant persuasion who would never be allowed into the parlours of the real British aristocracy, even if some shared their views. Perhaps my stereotypical caricature under-estimates the power base of the extreme right-wing?

Certainly the privately-educated, suited Nick Griffin would like us to believe so. This is a man who comes across in the media as a soft-spoken, reasonable defender of his country, but who has been convicted of inciting racial hatred and has denied the Holocaust took place. At the time he said: "I am well aware that the orthodox opinion is that six million Jews were gassed and cremated and turned into lampshades. Orthodox opinion also once held that the world is flat."

It takes the mind of a nasty, cold and evil man to utter such contemptible beliefs, even if he does like children and animals.

Should the BBC allow him airtime? I'm not sure. I think maybe. I believe in democracy and he is an elected representative within this green and pleasant land. But if anyone believes that this appearance will lead to him being held up to ridicule are sadly mistaken. He is not an idiot. He will be well-briefed. He will stay focused and controlled. He will appear almost benevolent in his opinions. He will gain new members for his party.
But hopefully, somewhere down the road, he will go too far in his proclamations and if nothing else, the majority of the British people are fair and will confirm their rejection of his and his party's warped doctrine.

50 Days To Save The Planet & Gordon Brown Is In Charge!

I had a dream last night that we have 50 days to save the planet and, having rescued the world from financial meltdown, the man selected to lead the fight was none other than our very own Prime Minister, Gordon Brown. Then I woke up and discovered that, oh my Lord, it is all true! It is an admirable adventure and I know someone needs to take the lead, but somehow I just wish that Gordon concentrated on the immediate problems first. Like the economy, the country's overdraft, the unemployed, the.....! Are other leaders going to listen to the man who is expected to be kicked out at the next General Election? Having said that, the latest poll* suggests the Conservatives are not doing as well as they might and Labour has actually had a positive bounce. Perhaps the PM feels confident enough the economy will recover before the voters have to make a decision?
Meanwhile, speaking to representatives of the major economies at a meeting in London today, he warned that a deal needed to be done to address global warming, when countries meet to discuss climate change in Copenhagen in fifty days time. Of course, any significent agreement needs the backing of the USA, China and India, the latter two naturally reluctant to halt progress in their countries. The good citizens of the car-and-cheap-gas obsessed USA, have to lead the way if real progress is to be made and that's a tough one to sell to Middle America. Like the ex-South African President who refused to recognise Aids as a problem, the ex-President of the US seemed to think the concern about the world's climate was a fashion fad, so it will be up to Obama to preach the unpopular message that cheap fuel isn't a right.
Meanwhile, the publicity stunt by the Maldives to draw attention to climate change by holding a government cabinet meeting on the sea bed, was a fantastic one and fully supported by all and sundry. I couldn't help but think that if Our cabinet did the same thing, they too would get our backing and our fervent prayers that each and every one of them...drowned!

*timesonline.co.uk/politics

Boyzone's Stephen Gately: No Matter What

Even before he is laid to rest, the Daily Mail decided to publish a nasty piece of vile homophobic comment by the writer Jan Moir. If I was one of her gay friends I would abandon her now. The day before his funeral in Dublin was not a decent time to discuss allegations about his private lifestyle and his death should not have been used for an attack on Civil Partnerships or the rights of gays. Jan Moir's snide remarks were hateful and to include insults about his singing ability while his family mourn and his fellow band members watch over his coffin, tells you everything about the Daily Mail. And even more about its writer, who should hang her head in shame.

Robbie Williams: Has the singer lost it?

I must admit, I prefer to hear a Robbie Williams song than actually see him perform one. All those winks, nods and cheeky boy glances, just take away from the song, in my view. Since leaving Take That he has made a life for himself, mainly in LA where he is a virtual unknown, if a very wealthy one.
His former band, Take That, has gone on to great things, with a comeback way beyond expectations. Robbie on the other hand has struggled to produce hit material and, it is said, is stricken with stage fright. His TV performance last week, unseen by me, apparently confirms a man uncomfortable in his own skin. His latest single, which was expected to enter the charts at No.1 is likely to be beaten to the top spot by X-Factor winner Alexandra Burke.
Robbie was the golden boy of British music for several years, but has been out of the loop for sometime. He is no longer the cheeky boy and his fans too have got older, wiser and perhaps struggling to survive in this recession, while their hero lives the high life but is too prone to moan how difficult it all is. Although, it must be said, in recent interviews he has come across more confident, less cocky and even at times verging on the humble. And he is responsible for writing and recording some of the best pop songs of recent years. As is Gary Barlow.

MPs Expenses & The Fees Office: There's a hole in their pockets dear.....

The speaker of the House was effectively sacked, but did get to the Lords, a hundred or so MPs will depart this parliament, others will dig deep into their pockets, but what about the Fees Office? Surely, someone there should be held to account for not protecting the public purse? Wasn't it the Office's job to inspect the expenses of MPs and if they didn't then why wouldn't MPs just assume all was well in the land of greed? Some of the expenses submitted were a disgrace and should have been rejected out of hand, but I am of the view that perhaps Sir Thomas Legg was over-zealous in demanding the repayment of others.
The majority of claims, the payment of cleaners, second home allowances etc., were legal and within the rules, even if some were morally questionable. But let's face it, the Party Leaders and their cohorts, themselves beneficiaries, only proclaimed their shock, anger and dismay over the misuse of this particular kitty, when the Daily Telegraph went to press. The £100,000 claims of the Conservative MP, David Wilshire, should, of course, be investigated by the police. And again, shouldn't questions be raised about the behaviour of the Fees Office who presumably passed them? Was that office so filled with incompetence that it just nodded through any outrageous claim? Or was corruption involved? Who had the final nod for the claims to be paid or not?
Let's face it, we don't elect MPs because we really believe they want to make the world a better place. Of course not! But we do expect public servants to protect our interests and the Fees Office failed in its duty.

The Archbishop Of Canterbury: A self-righteous religious leader

There is nothing worse than a self-righteous religious leader. Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury is one such a man. There are many in the United Kingdom who did not approve of our presence in Iraq and believe that Tony Blair took the country into an illegal war, but for the Archbishop to damn it at a ceremony to commemorate the 179 British personnel who lost their lives there, was an insensitive act. It dishonoured the dead and the grieving families and friends attending St.Paul's Cathedral. There is a time and place for such opposition and the Archbishop would have served the cause, the church and himself, much better had he developed a diplomatic cold and excused himself from the service. His behaviour was that of a self-centred publicist, at a time when the families who mourn take comfort in the belief that their loved ones died for a just cause. It was cruel to point out the opposite on such an occasion.

Bruce Forsyth: Puts both feet in.....race row scandal!

Bruce Forsyth, the veteran entertainer and presenter of Strictly Come Dancing, put both feet in it when he decided to enter the debate over Anton Du Beke's use of the "P" word to his dancing partner Laila Rouass. The story was about to die down when Bruce decided to speak out in a radio interview saying that the word was as harmless as Americans using the term "limeys" when talking about the English.
Bruce has never struck me as being someone with the biggest of intellects. I mean, he has difficulty reading from an autocue, but I had put that down to his great age, not stupidity and surely even he can see the difference in usage. The "P" word is used as an insult by racists. It is fondly chanted by people in the BNP and other extreme organisations and was, is and never should be, an acceptable word to use. We have moved on from those days of Empire and the patronising of the black man, or brown man, or poor Aborigine who may have been at one with nature, but, bless 'em, had no idea how to use a fish knife. The "P" and the "N" words have no place in today's society and are reminders of days gone by when the label bearers were subservient to their white masters.
Unfortunately, Bruce is of an era when "Love Thy Neighbour" was family entertainment and when many people watched "Til Death Us Do Part" and laughed in agreement with Alf Garnett. Warren Mitchell who played Alf, said he was often horrified by the people who came up to him to shake his hand and proudly let him know they were fully behind his character's ignorant ramblings. He was shocked that the extreme opinions of Alf were shared by some viewers, as he and the writer, Johnny Speight, thought quite the opposite and were sending up such bigoted views.
I believe that Anton thought he was being funny when he made the comment and he has rightly been told otherwise. Bruce was slapped on the wrist by the BBC and suddenly decided it was a serious issue after all. It should end there.

Simon Cowell: The X-Factor in party trash!

Dolly Parton once told an interviewer: "You'd be surprised how much it costs to look this cheap!" I was reminded of this while reading about Simon Cowell's £1 million pound 50th birthday party last week. We poorer folk, (the uninvited), can feel superior in the knowledge that money does not buy you class and it does appear it was totally absent from this event. It was attended by some of his showbiz pals and acquaintances, but A-listers and celebrity nobility, like Elton John and the Beckhams, were also not present, finding other more important things to do that evening. You know, hair, watching Strictly Come Dancing recordings, flower-arranging......
However, I don't begrudge Simon his shin-dig. He is a self-made man and paid for the whole thing himself. Generous of him too, since he is said to hate parties!

George Osborne: The next Chancellor of the Exchequer plays hard!

It was the startled look. The small boy voice. The delivery. The message. Telling his troop of little boy (and little girl) soldiers how it was going to be even tougher once the campaign was over. Yes indeed, if it was masochism we wanted, then he would deliver the pain, harder and better than that wimp Darling ever could! And sure, said the very rich trust-funded George Osborne, the next Chancellor of the Exchequer, the pain would be a shared one because we were all in it together. Like an S&M party. Or boarding school. Same thing.

The excitement of it all! Britain was going to start working again. Pay sector cuts, retirements postponed, even sick people on incapacity benefit suddenly cured. The Conservative Party will be back in business! UK politics will, once again, be safe and back where it belongs. In the bosom of the upper-classes.
All they have to do is make sure that, in the midst of the shared pain, the peasantry don't catch sight of the champagne.

David Letterman: Sex on the job

The chat show host, David Letterman, has been the subject of a blackmail scandal, with the suggestion that over the years he has slept with many of the females who worked on his nightly show. (I wonder how many of them will have to explain that to their partners!). The host himself broke the news of the scandal live on air this week, to an audience who didn't know whether to laugh, applaud, approve or disapprove.

The man charged with the blackmail is a TV producer, who had been dumped by a girlfriend who had worked for Letterman. The suggestion is that if you were female and worked on the show, then sex with the host was part of the package. Now, if it was by mutual consent, then surely it is a private matter between the adults concerned, even if we demand to know every last detail? But, if it emerges that sex was a condition of employment, then Mr. Letterman is in deep trouble. CBS, who pay him millions for a show which attracts A-list guests, including President Obama, will support him, unless it starts to look like their man is a sexual predator.

World Horse Welfare: Help Stop The Long-Distance Transport Of Horses For Slaughter

I would like to mention the World Horse Welfare organisation which battles with the governments of Europe to stop horses being transported over long-distances, in horrendous conditions, to end up being slaughtered. Horses are packed together, with no space to move, travelling for hours in lorries, in hot tempertures, often without water. The WHW are putting together even more evidence of this cruelty to present to the EU Commission and they would appreciate our support. I have nothing to do with the organisation, other than a shared belief that animals should not be treated in this way. If you want to know more then contact:

www.worldhorsewelfare.org

Lord Tebbit: The real face of the Conservative Party?

One of the worst atrocities committed by the IRA was the 1984 bombing of the hotel in Brighton during the Conservative Party conference. Margaret Thatcher, the prime target survived, but Lord Tebbit's wife Margaret, was seriously hurt and is today wheelchair-bound. An innocent victim.

Lord Tebbit himself represents the uncompromising side of the Conservative party, someone who has no regard for anyone who does not fit within his own narrow-minded view of the world. Every party conference time, he comes out of retirement to haunt the modernisers, because he reminds one and all, that Maggie's government may have done some good things, but God help you if you didn't fit into their nice middle-England oasis.
Tebbit's "get on your bike" comment to those out of work, the Poll Tax, the harsh treatment of the miners and the homophobia, highlight a party that, at times in government, was noxious and cold. The homophobia is in evidence again in his interview with Deborah Ross, in today's The Independent, where he says gays always had equal rights because: "A homosexual has the right to marry a woman but he just doesn't chose to". This from someone who was a senior policy-maker of the Tory government!
One wonders how many like him still reside in the Conservative fold, whether they be in Parliament, a member of a local branch, or the Daily Mail? Has David Cameron just managed to put a lid on their views until after the election.....just like he has about Europe? To keep them on board how far down the road will he go to compromise with the Little Englanders, when he becomes Prime Minister?

Tebbit complains that the current Conservative leader has failed to respond to his recent letters and I see that as a good sign.

The Irish to elect Tony Blair President?

Who would ever think it?! Ireland, once the poor relation of Europe made good, now back to being poor again, could be responsible for Tony Blair's elevation to the Presidency of Europe! In a few hours time the Irish voters will troop to the polling booths and say "Yes!" to the Lisbon Treaty. The Emerald Isle said "No!" last time, but has since discovered European democracy in action......keep voting until you make the right decision! If, as expected, the "Yes!" vote wins, then Poland and the Czech Republic will also sign and, before we can say, "I feel the hand of history upon our shoulders", it is possible that Mr. Blair will be nominated and then elected the first ever President of Europe. He is currently hot favourite for the position. The ordinary voters of Europe have no say in this important election. The Presidency will be decided by the leaders of the 27 EC countries, so we can only imagine the horse-trading taking place behind the scenes. One also wonders if it is the election of his good friend Tony, rather than his on-off-on friend Gordon Brown, which occupies the mind of the good Lord Mandelson?
So, where will this leave David Cameron and the Conservatives when they get to power? Cameron is already slipping, sliding and deciding that if the Treaty is ratified by all nations, then what the heck...why should the British need that promised referendum? And how will Mr. Murdoch and The Sun feel about that then?