Delusional...

Morning,

I have about twenty minutes to get my thoughts down this morning prior to going out on my bike for the morning prior to the Portugal/DPR Korea showdown at lunchtime.  However I have to yet again use my blog to air my latest musings about the on-going comedy down in Rustenburg.

This morning, it seems that the media are split down the middle regarding what the fuck is going on in regards of the players’ rebellion against Signor Capello.  They are either praising Terry for having the balls to say what he said in that press conference yesterday, or accusing him of all out treachery.  Not the first time he’s been accused of that now...

This whole Terry incident is a complete farce. Who does he think he is? I read somewhere he was quoted as saying 'I was born to do this' (i.e. speak his mind and lead his men). Doesn't he give a fucking fuck about undermining the captain (Gerrard), or the management liaison (Beckham) or Capello himself? Rhetorical question obviously, he is an ignorant ego maniac who's pretending that he's 'doing it for the best fans in the world'.  The best fans in the world, wouldn’t be chanting ‘No Surrender to the I.R.A’ – yep I heard that pathetic ditty down the pub on Friday – Cunts...

Given Terry's somewhat stormy history with Capello (losing the armband after inappropriate behaviour), you'd think he'd have the decency to keep his fucking cunt of a mouth shut.  Ah, but I forget he still thinks he was 'born to do this'.  Are you fuck.  Questioning the manager in a press conference puts the whole set up in the fucking shitter. It pours fuel on a minor fire and turns it into a fucking inferno.

It may not have been an 'outburst' or 'meltdown' in the style of the French, but when a player like Terry starts voicing his pathetic, ill-informed opinions to the press when it isn't his place to do so, you know there is something seriously wrong with how English players view their sense of self-importance. I mean for fuck’s sake, telling Capello to pick his mate Joe Cole despite the fact that Cole has done next to nothing this season and is seen as surplus to requirements by his own club!  Isn’t that also undermining Mr. Ancelotti?

Capello is demonstrably a good manager, as were Erickson and, yes, even Shteve McLaren, (actually, let’s scrub that last name...). The common denominator over the last decade hasn't been the manager but a group of players, who are tactically and technically naive – who are only made to look good in the Premiership, but the superior qualities of their foreign counterparts – why is it that Messrs Whiskynose, Wenger and Ancelotti are continuously going around the world scouring for talent – it is because they have more superior technical qualities.  Jesus fucking Christ.  And people are still scratching their heads as to why it isn't working.

You do have to feel for Signor Capello though.

How on earth could he get England to win the World Cup, when the typical England international is just too much of a fucking retard to follow the most basic of instructions on the pitch? Or that the players would feel that being asked to rest in their rooms for a few hours in the afternoon was the equivalent of being waterboarded at Guantanamo? Or that John Terry, a man with less intellectual power than a sack of shit, would feel that he had the gravitas to stage a coup d'état?

England simply can't hack it in a tournament like this, a fact that's obscured by the staggering number of foreign players in the Premiership. Draws with the USA and Algeria aren't an aberration, it's just England's natural level. We should get used to it.

A Week Off and an Inevitable Cold...

Evening all,

Well here I am again, at home starting my week long sojourn from work and yet again for the second time in a fucking year I have another fucking cold, but alas I am not bitter...

It's going to be a week of Footy heaven, and probably in the case of Wednesday afternoon, Footy hell. My opinion has not changed one bit from last night - however the way that John Terry has tried to get the media onside this morning with his fucking pathetic media conference has made me think whether or not there is a sense of inevitability over where the blame is going to lie if and when England ignominious exit does come about.

It is ridiculous!

Fabio Capello is the only person who should be allowed to air any grievances, mostly because he thought that the players he sent out, with specific instructions and a (no doubt) excellent tactical plan, would be able to execute on the pitch. These players (who he trusted) completely failed in their task.

The fact that they could not carry out the simplest of instructions (play the ball out from defence, press the opposition high up the pitch) means that the fault lies with the players and the players alone. This pathetic attempt to shift blame to a manager who wins everywhere he goes is a disgrace, and for the press to back them like this is sickening.

Now I am beginning to see some seedy signs that the media is beginning to get back onside with the players. The FA have not helped matters this evening by saying that they would expect Capello to resign if England was not able to muster a result against mighty Slovenia in Port Elizabeth on Wednesday.

Yep, that is really going to stop the pandemonium isn't it.

Still could be worse, we could be a certain team from over the Channel. Night, Night.




- Posted Straight From The iPhone...

Location:Keyes Pl,Folkestone,United Kingdom

Just Where Does Fabio Go Now?

Evening all,

I'm in bed listening to FiveLive and the chairman of the PFA has just been on the radio with his thoughts and ramblings over just where Mr Capello is going wrong. Considering he's always been one who has been in favour of a English manager - I suppose that is always was going to be a given, the first sign of discontent in the country with Fabio. A Rent-A-Gob...

There can be no doubt that the formation that Capello has adopted for not just the tournament but pretty much from the outset of him taking over the biggest job in the country is not the formation that allows England to be able to use their two most potent players in their favoured positions. Both Steven Gerrard and especially Wayne Rooney looked lame and nowhere near their world-class ability.

Surely, you would think that any country with players with the potential greatness of those two would work any formation around their two best players. Spain plays it around Messrs Torres and Xavi, with Iniesta being the playmaker who runs the show - ditto with Brazil, allowing Robinho a free role instead of restricting him, which is what would be normally be in Dunga's DNA.

For England to have any chance of progressing any further this time around, Mr Capello has to allow those two, the freedom to play in their preferred position. Let Rooney play on his own up top, and let Gerrard play just behind him and allow him the freedom of the pitch.

If only it was that simple...


- Posted Straight From The iPhone...

Location:Keyes Pl,Folkestone,United Kingdom

Thoughts...

Afternoon all,

Long time, no read - better change that right now. Am currently under a tree overlooking the Channel on the East Cliff, wind picking up - and the weather probably sums up the mood of a nation. Down, Overcast and the sense of a storm brewing. But that's enough about the Emergency budget on Tuesday!

Seriously, the performance by the English football team last night is down there with some of the very worse performances over the years. The performance that came to mind for me was the shocking performance in Norway in 1993 - where we played a 3-5-2 formation (something that we had never done before) and duly lost. Without even trying!

Of course we are not in that dire a situation yet, for one thing we know that a win on Wednesday will be sufficent enough for us to qualify for the knockout stages - but there has to be a part of us all which want us to be put out of our misery now. Let's say we get through, and get Germany...

You see my point!


- Posted Straight From The iPhone...

Outrageous..

There is very few words that you can think of to sum up the mood of world opinion in light of today’s act of state-sponsored terrorism by Israel on the Freedom Flotilla, some 60km west of the Israeli port of Ashdod.

Are we supposed to believe that the IDF are the fucking victims in this attack?  They had weapons – the protesters were defending themselves and they were massacred.  I see that Comical Ali lookalike – Mark Regev, is trying to say that this was proportional.  Like Jenin then...

When ships are boarded off the coast of Somalia it's called piracy.  Being boarded off Gaza it's called self defence.  How fucking convenient...

The response from countless governments the world over has been one of anger and bewilderment – some such as Sweden has expelled its ambassador, something that I implore the Foreign Office to do likewise.  Others are considering more stringent action.  As of now the US state department has not commented.  I wonder why...

There are demonstrations across the world springing right now, in support of the Flotilla, thousands are outside the Israeli embassy in London right now.  If the British government is not willing to condemn OUTRIGHT this act of terrorism, then we must take the fight to not just Israel but to the ConDem coalition.

Nick Clegg described the situation in Gaza in December last year as a “living nightmare for one and a half million Palestinians squeezed into one of the most overcrowded and wretched stretches of land on the planet”.

Over to you Mr Clegg...

Victim Or Just Desserts?

One thing is for certain, however this looks from a personal point of view, this will not help convince voters that the New Politics that is being peddled by Clegg and Cameron.

The honeymoon - what of it, is well and truly over...

Fighting The Hate...

Afternoon,

The EDL is holding yet another demonstration in Newcastle today following previous demonstrations in Bolton, Dudley and Stoke amongst other towns and cities, the length and breadth of the country. 

In recent demonstrations, the threat of violence and disorder has been growing with time, and there are now serious concerns at just what could happen this coming summer, with plans being released that suggest that they plan to step up their campaign in coming weeks, culminating in marches through some of the UK's most high-profile Muslim communities, raising the spectre of widespread unrest.

It could be a long, hot, painful summer...

Getting Into It...

Morning,

Am at the gym at the moment - actually am in the toilet in the dressing rooms here at the local sports centre.

Considering I don't start work till 12:30 I am here rather early which gives me more time to work out and get refreshed for the afternoon's work.

All in a good cause!


- Posted Straight From The iPhone...

Building Up Expectations...

Good Evening all,

Watching the England – Mexico game at Hackney Marshes Wembley this evening, and the thing that is coming to mind right now, is that whilst we are looking very good going forward, defensively we are looking extremely patchy and poor – woeful at times, the goal that Franco got for Mexico at the end of the first half is a example of that point.

Which is probably a good explanation for Fabio to be desperate for the legend that is Jamie Carragher to return from his self-enforced international exile.  The last time Carra played was in the ill-fated World Cup Quarter-Final in Gelsenkirchen when he missed a penalty in that shoot-out. 

So with England’s farewell match going swimmingly well, the question that needs asking is how far can the team go in South Africa.  It has to be said that the draw has been a lot more kinder for them, than in previous tournaments – and there is the argument that England’s recent nemeses’ Germany, Argentina and Portugal are not in the rudest of health in recent months.

My prediction: Semi-Finalists, but do not be at all surprised if they are participating in Johannesburg on July 11th.

And in other related news, Portugal drew 0-0 against mighty Cape Verde...

Love Will Tear Me Apart...

Evening,

A few years back, I remember a conversation with a wise lady – at that time she was in a stable marriage and I was a depressed singleton and it was during a period when a number of my friends were involved in some messy relationships, which were going south – and I never forget what she said.

“we have it so easy, we do not need to worry about this,”

Hmmm.  I think I now see what she meant when she said that...

Over The Horizon...

Morning all,

Currently sitting on the doorstep outside Chez Bob Bob here in Folkestone - not a cloud in the sky. And after some 12 years in Singleton Valley, things seem to be looking up on the love front.

Had a date last weekend with a lovely girl called Georgia who is of a similar age as yours truly and it seems to be a match made in heaven.

I will keep you abreast of developments!


- Posted Straight From The iPhone...

Britain Is Broke...

In a BBC interview this morning the new Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Lib Dem David Laws, told of a letter that was waiting for him from his Labour predecessor when he arrived to take up his new role.

The letter was from Liam Byrne and consisted of just one sentence - “I’m afraid to tell you there is no money left.”

It might have been a joke but with the coalition seeking to make Labour’s financial record the first battle-ground post election, I cannot help but see this being used time and time again as the shit begins to hit the fan.

- Posted Straight From The iPhone...

Business As Normal...

It was only a few days ago that everyone in the country was being told that we are entering a new era – a new politics.

Going on today’s moves to amend dissolution plans for parliament, I think not...

The funniest aspect of this story, particularly from the BBC’s point of view is that they have got none other but Lord Andrew Adonis to comment on the story.  Now considering he was up till about 8pm on Tuesday, the Transport secretary, and even then an unelected one at that – I think that he is probably one of the last people in the country who should be allowed a comment regarding anything to do with parliament...

So a week where the new era of politics was heralded from all above high, it seems that it is truly is business as normal...

Summer Of Chaos...

So now Call Me Dave is in power, as was their birth right in the first place – it will be fucking hilarious to see just how on earth they are going to be able to work in hock with the Liberal Democrats.  Rumours abound tonight that Nick Clegg will be given the role of Deputy Prime Minister, a role as powerful as the Tea lady, who comes up with the Bourbons at 10am each morning.  Know your place, Nick...

Still, the Liberal democrats have probably going to only have one go at being government because make no mistakes – the moment those £6billion worth of cuts come and burn the public sector, all bets are off. The workers are going to be in revolt rather quickly.

New Prime Ministers are supposed to have a honeymoon period. That ended, the moment he left the palace...

Inevitable...

Evening all,

So it has come to past.  Noooo, not the Rainbow Coalition, come on that was never going to happen.  Brown has quit as PM, Cameron is now in No. 10 – and now the fun and games truly do begin.  Let see what Darling has left behind...

...and Still We Are Not There Yet!

Evening,

What an astonishing day in this country.

It started with ever increasing expectations that the Lib-Con coalition talks were getting close towards an agreement of some sort. One of the main negotiators of the Lib Dem team pretty much said that.

Then Big Ben tolls at 5pm...

It has been reported this evening that the first draft of Chairman Brown's resignation speech had been completed by Saturday evening - proof that there was some form of movement going on between Downing Street and Cowley Street.

This evening, many of Labour's old guard such as John Reid and Diane Abbott have stated that such of a coalition of the Losers would be catastrophic for the Progressive Left. There can be no doubt that such a coalition would be extremely unstable and it looks like highly unpopular in England.

Elections will probably be called within six months - The Tories will win handsomely. There will be parts of Southen England where they will just have to weigh the Tories vote...

And it will be all OUR fault.

We should have got rid of Chairman Brown, 12 months ago - after the car crash at the European elections. We didn't and now we are going to get fist-fucked.

But no. We have got ourselves into this deep shithole and now we are going to have to reap the whirlwind.

One person will be pissing himself laughing tonight.

Tony Blair.

And with that depressing thought, I will bid you farewell for tonight.

Night, Night.


- Posted Straight From The iPhone...

Will They Or Won’t They?

Afternoon,

In the words of a Liberal Democrat source this afternoon, the first substantive talks regarding a possible coalition have been taking place this afternoon between Conservative and Lib Dem negotiators.

The thinking is that with the markets opening at 8am tomorrow morning, there is the urgent need to get something concrete on the table by the end of play tonight, whenever that is perceived to be.  As Paddy Ashdown said, it seems that events in Greece “have concentrated the mind”.  No doubt, some people in those negotiations have a lot to lose...

This can only mean one thing - that being that Clegg and Cable are coming round to Osborne’s thinking on the need to reduce the deficit to calm the markets. On Friday, I would’ve said that a Lib-Con pact was unthinkable; it is looking a little more likely this afternoon. 

And with Mr Brown having returned to Downing St, without warning – it makes the talks that bit more urgent on the Tories part.  They cannot afford any mistakes...

Rainbow Coalition or A Carve-Up?

Morning,

As things stand some 36 hours after the last but one seat was declared we are no nearer to seeing what hue of government the British population are going to have next.

Both Clegg and Cameron spoke face to face to each other at Admiralty House last night - minutes after Chairman Brown spoke to the Lib Dem leader - Brown seems to be feeling a bit left out of the fun and games.

However, Labour sources continue to plug the possibility of a so-called Rainbow Coalition, if Clegg is not able to come up with a viable plan of action with Mr Cameron.

So who and what would the Rainbow Coalition consist of?

Apart from the obvious, the SNP and Plaid Cymru would be possible kingmakers of any potential PM of the coalition. It is said that members of the SDLP and the solitary Alliance MP of Northern Ireland would take the whips of Labour and the Lib Dems respectively due to both parties links.

Also being mentioned is the Greens solitary MP, Caroline Lucas and again from Northern Ireland, Lady Sylvia Hermon, who walked out of the Ulster Unionists earlier this year, because of the re-establishment of links with the Tories.

Now, this seems all good.

But, with assemblies and parliaments already formed in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland - and Labour being a extremely poor second in England - my fear is that this could cause the break up of the Union, because make no mistake, the English electorate voted in remarkable contrast to the Celtic nations because of the total dominance of the Scots and the Welsh in power.

Be very careful what you wish for...


- Posted Straight From The iPhone...

An Initial Meeting...

As I write, George Osborne, William Hague, Oliver Letwin and Mr Cameron's chief of staff, Ed Lewellyn has just left the cabinet office in Whitehall following what is being described by Mr Hague as an initial meeting.  Chris Huhne, Danny Alexander, Andrew Stunnell and David Laws will represent the Lib Dems....

I get the feeling that the Liberal Democrats recognise that some arrangement with the Tories is pretty much the ONLY way we’re going to get a good majority government – which is what is needed at this critical time - and anything else at this time risks fiddling while Rome burns.

The fact that high-level talks (not just niceties, not just ‘we may get back to you’s) have already begun between the Conservatives and the Lib Dems suggests to me they know it. 

Gordon, you better start packing...

Hanging In There...

Evening,

Apologies for the lack of posting since last nights initial exit poll - and even though everyone was cynical about it, including my good self, it has turned out to be remarkably accurate. A good day to be a bookie...

Now the thoughts are turning to the future and who is going to be given the uneviable task of taking us through what will be the most austere of cost cutting since Rafa was told there was no transfer budget at Anfield.

There can be no doubt that people have voted for change and that will no doubt mean for some that Chairman Brown has to leave Number 10.

Others will beg to differ...



- Posted Straight From The iPhone...

HUNG PARLIAMENT - Exit Polls

Tories: 307

Labour: 255

Lib Dems: 59

Oh Fuck...

That Sinking Feeling...

Hearing rumours abounding from one group and another regarding what they are hearing across the country.  We won’t hear anything for sure until 10pm, when the Sky/BBC/ITN exit poll comes out.

I have a bad feeling about tonight...

Some Numbers...

4,149 - The total number of candidates battling it out for seats in parliament.

315 - The number of independent candidates.

650 - The number of seats in the Commons.

632 - The number of constituencies in mainland Britain.

50,000 - Polling stations open from 7am to 10pm.

150,000 - Staff running them.

One - constituency (Buckingham) where all the main parties are standing aside for Speaker John Bercow.

44,000,000 – The number of people eligible to vote.

325 – Number any single party need to have a working majority.

50,000 - Council workers counting votes

627 - Westminster constituencies that start counting overnight

4 - Hours within which returning officers must begin counting after polls close

164 - Council polls in England, including those for 32 London boroughs, 36 metropolitan authorities and 20 unitaries

15,785 - Candidates in the running at local level

4,222 - Council seats up for grabs, with five already returned unopposed

4 - Mayoral elections

I Voted...

And I voted for the Liberal Democrats’ candidate down here in Folkestone and Hythe, Lynne Beaumont.

The alternatives are too hideous to think about...

Nothing Else To Do...

Evening all,

The campaign is pretty much over - and all the party leaders have just about got back to their home constituencies.  Brown in Dunfermline, Call Me Dave in Witney and Mr Clegg in Sheffield Hallam.

In little over 24 hours, we will have the first exit polls coming in.

Good Luck, unless you're a Tory.

...or for that matter UKIP or B*P...

Keeping The Tories Out...

Interesting link here

It is pretty self explanatory.  Where the Tories are favourites in that particular constituency, it shows you which party has the most realistic chance of usurping them out on the big day.

Use it wisely!

Does Newspapers Matter Anymore?

Britain's national newspapers are hardly known for their political reticence. Historically, most of them have been blatantly partisan, propagating the opinions of the party that they support according to the bias of the editor or proprietor.

They did not need to wait until just before an election to tell their readers how they should vote: their daily political agenda was patently obvious. There has been somewhat of a change over the last 20 years – dating from the fall of Margaret Thatcher and the Poll Tax Riots – because almost all papers have tended to proclaim their independence from political parties.

But now as we see the internet and social networking coming into its own this time around, are we beginning to see the decline of power that certain papers have had over their political puppets?

With Facebook and Twitter being used more commonly by the up and coming generation of which I see myself as part of – and of which, where we get our news nowadays instead of the Dead Tree Press, I think that newspapers are going to have to come to terms that the power that they welded, even a decade ago has been eroded irreversibly.

That it has happened so quickly, might be down to people wanting to decide for themselves what is best for them and their families, instead of what Sly Bailey, Rupert Murdoch and Viscount Rothermere tell them to do.

I think on Friday morning, there are going to be some unhappy paper owners.

The Day After The Night Before...

Afternoon all,

I was somewhat hung over this morning as I went into work – as a result of a blowout here in Folkestone last night.  Just like the good old days...

Whilst at work doing some double bubble action, I was trying to do a post on my iPhone regarding how the electorate have become reinvigorated into politics in the last four weeks or so – whether that is through the debates or via the medium of social networking such as Twitter and Facebook.  See a later post for that...

There is one big area that I think needs looking at.  The Dead Tree Press...

That should be on here within a few hours, because I am going to start writing that now. 

Think I better get some caffeine inside me...

This is Change...

Afternoon,

I have been out at the gym, been shopping this morning and have got back in and had my dinner ahead of a night of drinking and other assorted entertainment in Folkestone.  Having looked around the various blogs that concentrate on the British political scene.  Guido’s blog has attracted my eye, purely because I am thinking the complete opposite to him. 

There is no reason at all to be scared of the weirdie beardies that dominate the LibDem activist base – perhaps that’s because a lot of young people like myself actually agree with a lot of what their manifesto, which was majorly written by the activist base – so there is not really a great deal of fear in there – unlike those soft Tories who have a liking to Clegg because he is to them very much different to previous leaders.  Think the term is an anti-statist libertarian...

It seems to me that Tories only want change, but on their terms only...

Labour Losing Friends...

Good Evening,

Now that the debates are out of the way and we are in the home straight of this truly remarkable election, the thing that anoraks, commentators, columnists and politicians are asking is who the newspapers will suggest their readership vote for.  There is no doubt in most of our minds that we are seeing a seismic change in British politics, possibly irreversibly.

Already this weekend, we have seen the Guardian and this evening the Observer pull their substantial weight behind the Liberal Democrats, though they did the same back in 2005 – so that is probably not a surprise all in all.  Could we see other papers, such as the Independent, or dare we say the Mirror pledge their support for Clegg?

Citizens have votes. Newspapers do not. However, if the Guardian had a vote in the 2010 general election it would be cast enthusiastically for the Liberal Democrats. It would be cast in the knowledge that not all the consequences are predictable, and that some in particular should be avoided. The vote would be cast with some important reservations and frustrations. Yet it would be cast for one great reason of principle above all. - Leader in The Guardian

At the same time, the Tories have gained the support of the Times this morning, reports are suggesting that the Sunday Telegraph will do likewise later this evening – and there is opinion strengthening that the Financial Times will put 18 years of Labour support into the archive cabinet next week, and come out in support of Cameron. 

There is no doubt that we are seeing the final rights of New Labour – hopefully we will see the party renew itself and allow itself to revert back to its socialist and working class roots, whilst disowning its links with big business and making the likes of Mandelson and Blair irrelevant.

However, there is the deep and dark fear that for Labour, the White Working Classes could be gone for a generation if not forever, due to the perceived pandering by Labour towards certain minorities – and as much as we hate to admit to their existence, the B*P are doing a good job in encouraging those same disillusioned voters to support them.

That is one thing that comes out of this election that will need to be dealt with...

Labour And The People...

Labour just isn’t listening to the people...

Their campaign has been so controlled, those North Korean rallies look like random acts of chaos in comparison.  Gordon needs to take a leaf out of the other two main candidates and talk to the people instead of ignoring them.

Thursday could well be an Annus Horriblis...

UPDATE, 18:00 – Nick Clegg has been heckled by what seems to be more than one voter during speaking in Malvern, Worcestershire.  Interesting...

Feeling Sorry for Gordon..

As much as it is catastrophically bad for Chairman Brown, I cannot help but feel sorry for him.

He was right in what he said privately.  It was getting caught which has nailed him...

Blair Peach Was Murdered

When will the bastards face the consequences for their actions?

Coming Clean...

Evening all,

Bit of a odd day to be fair – which has had a massive dose of reality in the past few hours in the race to Number 10. 

The Institute for Fiscal Studies – an independent think-tank has denounced all three main political parties for not being clear-cut in what cuts will need to enforced in the blood-letting that will follow the election. 

Now, they have accused all three main parties ‑ and particularly Labour ‑ for failing to come clean over the scale of tax rises, welfare cuts and spending retrenchment necessary after the election.  At last some home truths...

In an attack on the plans sketched out by Labour, Conservatives and Liberal Democrats, the Institute for Fiscal Studies also claimed the Tories were planning the sharpest spending cuts since the second world war, while the Labour and Lib Dem spending slowdowns amounted to the biggest retrenchment since the IMF crisis in the mid-1970s.  Rationing anyone?

It does make the background for the final Leaders Debate in Birmingham on Thursday that little more fussy.  On the same day as the IFS cam out with their damning verdicts on the parties’ economic plans – Greece's debt has been downgraded to junk status by rating agency Standard & Poor's amid concern it could not take steps to tackle its economic crisis.  The high price of joining a one size, fits all economic junket...Greek debt has lower rating than Lebanon's.  How fucking damning...

S&P said it was lowering its rating on Greece's debt to BB+ from BBB-. It also reducing Portugal's debt rating by two notches to A- as doubts intensified about countries with substantial debt relative to GDP.  Ditto as above...seems like Sterling may not be the only currency facing a threat from the profiteers...

The markets are going to drop like a stone in the morning...

Another Week Begins...

Good Morning,

This promises to be one of the most intriguing weeks in this country’s modern history – as we head towards the big electoral day on 6th May.

The last television debate happens on Thursday in Birmingham, something that I will not be watching as I have another curry night to attend in Dover at about that time – I get paid on Wednesday so probably this time next week, I’ll be all depressed with no money left.  As per normal...

And as normal the Tories have been going on and on about the negatives of a hung parliament – on the thinking that any uncertainty politically will be seen as a gloomy sign for the city – fears that there might be an run on the pound, have so far proved to be just pie in the sky.  The IMF have been mentioned by the same doom-mongers...

Still, it could be worse, we could be Greece...

Heading Into The Penultimate Week...

Good evening,

Am feeling like I am in my own personal sauna in my bedroom as the temperature is threatening to hit 80°F – nowhere near the temperature that it must be in Chairman Brown’s head this evening following the fiasco that was the Elvis concert in Corby yesterday morning.  Was a surreal sight that was...

Gordon seems to be having a major problem haemorrhaging votes if the latest polls are anything to go by.  I see the latest YouGov daily poll released in the past hour shows that the Lib Dems are back in the 30% territory – whereas Labour are struggling to push over the 28%.  That re-launch didn’t go according to plan...

However, the Lib Dems were saying this morning that they are beginning to look beyond May 6th and any possible coalition – stating that they would be more than likely talk to the Conservatives in the first instance, further insisting that Labour will have forfeited the right to govern if it comes third.  Whoops, talk about opening a can of worms....

Could Clegg being a bit more upfront with his agenda, persuade those wavering voters on the Left, myself included from lending their vote to the Yellows, and put all of our fruits in the Labour basket?

Perhaps...

Rest And Relaxation

Good afternoon,

On the bus on the way back to Chez' Bob Bob after a morning of relative calm at work - I'm taking the Nick Clegg approach this afternoon - and doing nothing - bit of downloading online - might update that playlist on the right hand side of you - throw some Balearic grooves for your ponderous.

On the election and Cleggy has confirmed to us all that he won't prop up any Brown regime that is left after May 6th - which means he's in bed with Call Me Dave.

Not acceptable that under any circumstances...

- Posted Straight From The iPhone...

Decision Time

Evening all,

Late I know, but still at least I'm posting now.

Had a bit of a crap day at work, really depressing - so much so that this evening I've applied for a position outside of the current company I'm working at.

More money, but more importantly - away from home. More opportunity to be independent, which I cannot be with the current state of play being as it is.

Hopefully, I'll hear something sooner rather than later - I need a change of scenery as of this moment because I do not see anything at all happening with me in my current position right now...

Night, Night.


- Posted Straight From The iPhone...

Evening,

Well it was a darn sight fucking closer than last week - but then considering that Cleggy waltzed away with the first debate in Manchester last week that was a given.

Quite clear that Cameron was much better than he was last week - but again he couldn't be any shitter than he was previously.

Brown was again much better than last week but I get the sense that people just do not want to listen to him anymore - the level of support (or lack of) that Labour are getting in the polls are indicative of that.

So Clegg won it for me, closely followed by Cameron and Brown.

The polls at the weekend, including a much awaited marginals poll will make intriguing reading...


- Posted Straight From The iPhone...

Location:So Who Won?

Seconds Out...Round 2!

The biggest question tonight has to be whether or not Nick Clegg can follow up his quite superb performance with yet another decisive victory tonight.

Chairman Brown must be hoping for a similar workmanlike performance as he was last week.

One thing must be certain, Call Me Dave will not be as appalingly woeful as he was last week. Surely he will be that more focussed and clued up unlike the previous debate.

Lots of questions, plenty of answers...


- Posted Straight From The iPhone...

What Made Them Change Their Minds?

Evening,

Amongst the relief amongst passengers, airline companies and the authorities across Europe, one cannot help but note the lack of thought behind one particular viewpoint.

That being that this morning we were being told by our wonderfully responsible press that the chances were that the airspace across Europe was going to be closed for anything up to a further week in light of further sprewing of ash from that Volcano in Iceland.

So what's with the change of mind?

Admittedly, the wind direction has somewhat changed so the wind is forcing the ash cloud to head towards the Eastern Seaboard of the United States and Canada - causing flights to be cancelled - so there is that, that allows them to reconsider their originally hard-line stance.

However, I cannot help but think that the predicament of several major European airlines whom are still in a financial shithole following the credit crunch is clouding the thoughts of those high above us at EuroControl. See what I did there, fuck me I'm good!

And another thing. EuroControl? They have control of our skies as well?

UKIP will be livid...


- Posted Straight From The iPhone...

Lib Dems: In The Lead...

The Latest poll for YouGov and the S*n (via politicalbetting) is saying that the Liberal Democrats are heading for an unprecedented share of the vote of 33%.  Now of course, with little over two weeks to the big day – polls such as these should be treated with the large dose of salt that politicians normally do treat them with.

But then, this is not the first poll to show such a lead as one for the Mail showed similar figures this morning.

Will it last?

Can’t help but notice Labour are dropping like a stone...

Missing In Action...

Evening all,

Apologies for the lack of posts this weekend - was out last night and by time I got home I was not in a state to be able to write anything meaning.

Went out on my bike this morning to cure te hangover which it did - not a bad thing that. 12 miles done with my sister in tow done in just under two hours pretty special that - need to work out a route to do next weekend as I'm off on Saturday so might end up doing 20 miles that morning. Immense.

Just as immense has been the Lazurus style performance of the Lib Dems in the recent polls that have been done in the last few days since the first debate - I get the indication that a lot of young, politically liberal voters are beginning to mobilise to kick the old guard of parliament into the history books.

What beggars me though is how and why has Nick Clegg purely benefitted from this surge and not other parties with a small or non existential foothold in parliament - and what will be the result of the two bullies in the playground and their mates in the media ganging up on the resurgent Liberals.

Is Anti-Politics the way forward?

- Posted Straight From The iPhone...

First Round To Clegg

No doubt where the first debate went to this evening.  Nick Clegg only needed to do as well as Cameron and Brown and I think there was some areas tonight where he actually did superior better than the two reprobates that he was taking on.

However, there is a instant poll done by Sky News that is saying giving Cameron victory with 53%, Clegg 28% with Chairman Brown on 19%.

The worry was that Brown would somewhat crash and burn but he didn’t – not a bad thing.  The polls were always going to be bad for Chairman Brown purely because he is the incumbent so he has to work that bit harder. 

Similarly with Cameron – because he has had so much more press time than Clegg and with more finances behind him meaning that he has got more support to help him – he had to perform and although he didn’t do anything bad – I get the sense that some people was expecting him to go for the jugular.

Never was going to happen that...

Round two is going to be very intriguing next week.

Reports: Seven Foreign Workers Killed In Afghanistan, (Reuters Say They Are British...)

Hmmm.

Not exactly what Chairman Brown needs to be hearing this evening...

and It’s 5, 4, 3, 2... and Action!

Good evening,

Well fuck me sideways, the big night is here and everyone cannot help themselves in predicting what on earth is going to come out of the first Leaders Debate, in Manchester.

I predict that Nick Clegg will probably win this first debate, whereas Messrs Brown and Cameron will get through it relatively unscathed.

I think they are more concerned about getting the satellites sorted out due to some ash falling out of the sky...

Backward Reverse...

I see that the Shadow Homophobic Minister, Chris Grayling has been on the telly this evening to say that he does not think that Gay couples should be turned away from bed and breakfast establishments.

Which is contrary to what he said only a week.  So what is the electorate supposed to think...

However he has said that he did once upon a time oppose Gay adoption...

Hmmm.

Sounds like the cunt is still living in the past...

Now This Is Farcical...

Just when we all thought that the scandal regarding MPs expenses was going away from the headlines...

And as you can see in the video below, everyone just cannot help themselves in a getting a dig into the entire system...

Now it would be wholly inappropriate of me to suggest that that video is nothing short of full-scale electioneering...

But it is, if we remember what the Chancellor got up to...

Go For Broke...

Evening,

Having been at work today – I missed out on the fun and games surrounding the introduction of Labour’s manifesto. 

And from what I gather it took the form of a North Korean style rally – with supporters heckling journalists in almost Mugabesque fashion.  Hmmm.

And as for the cover of the Manifesto is well, um...something out of the 1920s...

In fact let compare and contrast...

Let’s be blunt these sort of tactics will not give Labour the level of support that is needed to get even the most seats on the big day.

Therefore – why not just go the fucking full wedge.

The question that needs to be answered this evening is whether Labour are willing to go for broke and tell it like it is.  Admittedly that might mean having to tell some brutal home truths, but in the long run – the electorate might just respect them for it.

It’s all well and good trying to hide the shitty aspects of what is to come for the country over the coming 12 to 18 months – however it is safe to say that we are probably over the worse of the crap that has been thrown at us – but, they need to go for the jugular and take the fucking Tory cunts head-on.  If it means using provocative class-war language from here on in, then so be it. 

If it means losing some of the fucking wet, Middle England cunts that Blair and Mandelson went out of their way to appease in the past 13 years or so, then fuck them.  Bring the party back to its roots.  If they were to do that perhaps the Working Classes (and by that I mean those who are working, not those who are in the dole and benefit queues – that the client state) wouldn’t be deserting Labour in their droves.

It’s time to be thinking radical, to be thinking different, to be thinking Labour.

What A Fucking Cunt...

Afternoon,

Have a look here, it's a blog representing the vileness of the B*P.

Seriously, why can't we be allowed to put these cunts down - for everyone else's sake.

PS:  Here is a more comprehensive guide to the pathetic world view of the aforementioned blogger - courtesy of an Anti B*P website.

Marriage? For Three Quid A Week!

Evening,

So it seems that Call Me Dave has decided that those who decide to tie the knot as well as those who get together through civil partnerships are more worthy of tax-payers money than everyone else - now considering that marriage is getting more and more uncommon nowadays why would they be pushing such a mention - wouldn't say that it was an Edwardian form of moral right - but still...

As inevitable as a plane crash in thick fog - the other major parties, with respect to the Greens - (UKIP and B*P do not constitute parties in my mind more like reptilian cults, but enough of them) have gone over the edge with their response with Labour not being able to help themselves but to lambast the Tories proposals.

But certain core demographics that the Tories are trying to win over, such as the Church of England, Saga and the Mothers’ Union have according to the Telegraph implied that they think that marriage should be explicitly recognized in the tax system. Hmmm.

Better end this post there!

Lord Adonis - Fail

Morning,

That unelected no-mark Lord Adonis has used a piece in the Independent this morning to implore those of us intending to vote Liberal Democrat to re-consider and to vote Labour. The argument being that by voting Liberal we are allowing the Conservatives in via the back door.

Perhaps if Labour didn't appoint cunts like Lord Adonis into cabinet and ignored it's core vote for well over a decade amongst other things - then perhaps we wouldn't feel that we have any other alternative. Perhaps.

For the record I'm only voting Liberal Democrats because Labour have no chance of winning down here in Folkestone and Hythe, but more pertinently, Labour has become as rabid a right wing party as the Tories are.


- Posted Straight From The iPhone...

Explosive Figures

Afternoon,

It has been confirmed that petrol prices has gone and hit a new high of £1.20 per litre.

The AA has also said that with Sterling's valuation against the Euro having dropped by some 13% in the last few months - that it is plausible that it will go up by another penny a litre soon.

Now, it might be me but this sounds like a good time to kick off fuel blockades whilst Labour are on it's knees.


- Posted Straight From The iPhone...

Walking To The Inevitable...

Morning,

I have just finished watching Chairman Brown’s press conference on Sky News – and as I have just mentioned on Twitter, but was it me or are were those journalists so fucking bored out of their skulls – perhaps they were thinking like I am beginning to think and reckon that this game is getting more and more difficult for Labour to win.

They seem to have been caught out quite decisively by the Conservatives being able to get more business leaders to back their proposal in not raising National Insurance that Labour are going to introduce in the event of a Brown victory.  Having time off work is allowing me to devote more time to the blog and give some thoughts over where I think the election is going.

Off topic, I am introducing some new hash-tags to my twitter feed:

#GE2010 – will show general coverage of the election campaign across the country – the majority of my posts will have this tag on my links.

#FkH – will show posts which relate to my neck of the woods and although I have already had a tweet from a Liberal Democrat councillor saying that their candidate is taking the battle to the Tories – I sadly cannot predict anything less than a comfortable victory for Damien Collins – who is high on Call Me Dave’s A-List – though with a reduced majority. 

Like anything in life, it’s not what you, but who you know...

The First Heckler...

Expect more of this – the people are restless...

Afternoon Thoughts

Afternoon,

Apologies for this morning's serious posts - yes that is deemed to be a serious write-up. The phone in on Five Live so riled me that something needed saying at that moment.

Anyway, on to more surrealist stuff - I watched Prime Minister's questions this lunchtime for the first time in a long time due to work - of course - but good to see that it is still representative of Britain.

Childish, Boorish and fucking pathetic.


- Posted Straight From The iPhone...

Is Cameron Too Posh To Be PM?

Now the cum stains have been wiped off the laptop, let gets down to business.

Five Live’s phone in this morning was in regards of the question that I put on the heading of this piece.  The argument being that Mr Cameron cannot appreciate the hard grind that someone from a working-class background has to go through on a day to day basis.  Or other statements like 'how can somebody like Cameron understand what its like to be a single mother'

There can be no doubt that whilst Cameron has come from an extremely privileged background that he has suffered tragedy in his own life – with the death of his severely disabled son, Ivan over a year ago. 

Perhaps such episodes in one’s life forces someone to question their own belief system. 

I know that going to the school that I did, with the wide-ranging spectrum of backgrounds that students came from made me more driven – in the way that in my eyes – the school catered more for those of a more privileged background – particularly in the last few years of my education where the influence of a small clique of parents of students from a particular part of Surrey became more and more pronounced and obvious swayed me towards my class warrior leanings.

Nevertheless, if we are to ask whether Cameron is too Posh, are we saying that you can someone could be too common to be PM?  For that would be preposterous to even suggest such nonsense.

Why is that this even being considered now?  Why was it not open to debate when Blair went for the Premiership, back in 1997.  For he went to Fettes which is Scotland’s equivalent to fucking Eton.  

And moving the case on from there - why does a privileged education seem to be seen as a hindrance by some?  Gandhi was educated at Oxbridge and then led the civil disobedience which ended the Raj and Partition in India and Pakistan. 

Chairman Brown's background is actually fairly humble in comparison, but still of higher standing to the average yokel;  He had parents that were from a upper-class/authoritarian background (dare I say elitist...) and was taught outside of mainstream classes in school.  Not very socialist, that seems to me...

In the end it should be down to the person who is able to show the electorate that they are the one who can show the best form of leadership that is needed in these difficult times.

It Needs Saying...

We saw a remarkable performance last night at Camp Nou.

 

The world was treated to a glorious master class by the little man.

And he is still only 22...

Is This More Accurate?

This seems far more plausible a picture of just how the country is feeling at the moment – admittedly it does show that warmth to both Clegg and Cameron has grown since the last poll of this sort back on March 19th from YouGov.

It is said that some pundits who actually bet on these type of events – actually take far greater notice of these polls, rather than the polls concerning party support – which make also show why there has been concern for many years that we are heading towards a more presidential type of politique, rather than the party and ideological driven politics that we have had since year dot.

Safe to say that as the big day gets ever nearer, that we will see more of these sort of polls getting churned out by the Fourth Estate – it will be interesting to see how leader approval rating compares with the actual election result come the early hours of the 7th May. 

With regards to PoliticalBetting.

A Throwback...

From Now On...

I have been wondering how I will be able to update my thoughts on a constant basis between now and the big day on the 6th May – I am in the process of trying to find a twitter ticker-tape style tool which can go in between the title and the posts – where you’ll be able to read my twitter thoughts.

As well as that – I am wanting to find a specific feed for the latest news from the campaign trail, across the country.

This is going to be a momentous moment in our nation’s modern history – who knows, we might be in the same shithole in about six months!

And So It Begins...

30 days of full-scale orgasmic electioneering began just before 11am this morning when Chairman Brown, flanked by the full set of the Politburo stood outside Number 10 and said that the election will be on the 6th May.

The latest polls suggest a lead for the Tories of anything between 4% and 10% dependant on which poll you go for. 

The debate dates have also been announced - The first of the 90-minute sessions will be screened on ITV1 on Thursday April 15, the next by Sky on April 22 and the last by the BBC on April 29.

I get the feeling that the ICM poll that shows that the Tories only have an 4% lead is sadly a rogue poll – as it was carried out during the Easter weekend.

Ambulance Chasers...

I am currently watching what seems to be a TMZ/Perez Hilton cunt-fest whilst Tiger Woods tries to answer questions prior to starting his comeback at the Masters at the Augusta National.

It seems to me that once they have asked him the inevitable trash questions involving that infamous night in Florida, last November – that they are trying to see what other shit they can throw at the poor sod.

I hope he annihilates the field this week – and stick two fingers up to all the fucking ambulance chasers and other fuckwits who have tried to trouser a fortune out of what has been a terrible situation for the golfer and his family.

Let’s be fair, would any of us be surprised?

This cunt has finally met his end...

And not before time...

A notorious white supremacist who once threatened to wage war rather than allow black rule in South Africa was hacked to death at his farm yesterday following an argument with two employees.

Eugene Terre'Blanche's mutilated body was found on his bed along with a broad-blade knife and a wooden club, police said.

Terre'Blanche, with striking blue eyes and white beard, was the voice of hard-line opposition to the end of racial apartheid in the early 1990s, and the AWB was infamous for its swastika-like symbols and neo-Nazi anthems.

But he had been in relative obscurity since his release in 2004 after a prison sentence for beating a black man nearly to death.

One less Nazi in the world – not a bad thing that.

Reflective...

Afternoon,

As I look into the algae covered pond here in Radnor Park - I am looking back across the past year as I bead towards my 28th year. It has been a chequered and at times, squalid year for me personally. Something that has to come to an end sooner rather than later.

The way that I have allowed my depression to cloud my judgement in past months is something that on reflection confused and worried me. Is this the end game before the inevitable end of life - via some form of sadistic way. Am I allowing situations both at home and at work to ferment towards the point where the only way that I can regain some form of control is to lose it in the first instance.

That in itself would force me to ask some further uncomfortable questions - why is it that I am allowing it to happen? Is it that I feel that I am losing a form of status or respect for myself and that in a way is causing me to react in such a fashion. Is it that with the massive changes that have happened with my own job security that I feel threatened of my own personal security - financially and wellbeing.

Or perhaps it is something else: perhaps it is in my eyes that with such changes, people come and go - particularly those whom you become friends with and when they go elsewhere in future of fortune - comparing them to those who come in their place are not going to be on the same wavelength as those previously your friends. And as a direct result - such reactions are an inevitability.

As I say, difficult and brutal questions to be asking myself this weekend - and as the rain begins to fall again and the raindrops hit the pond with effortless ease - perhaps with a week off after this bank holiday, this is the time to be asking those questions.


- Posted Straight From The iPhone...

Paradise Or Hell

Evening,

Heading back from my monthly shop to Canterbury - did not go exactly to plan. Spent only £50 when expected to spend close to four times that. Was trying some jumpers for mine and my mates piss up on Thursday and the top of them seemed decidedly tighter than normal.

It seems where I have pulled something in my chest that both of my nipple regions have for some odd reason swelled up.

Concerning. Still - off we go to All Saints when we get home for some decisive shopping - need some boots as well.

Mind how you go.


- Posted Straight From The iPhone...

Thinking Of The Election...

The government – under the stewardship of Chairman Brown (passim) seems to have a un-nerving habit of being able to help itself into another heap of shit. 

Today it is the ever-concerning situation regarding the unions threatening further strikes with BA and the railway network – yet the unions are desperate for Brown to win the election against Call Me Dave.

Funny way of going about it...

The New Design

Evening all,

I thought that with the election coming up it would be a fabulous opportunity to refresh the website with a few subtle changes.

Normal service will resume shortly!

The Car Crash Budget

Morning,

I'm at the gym right now and as always they have Auntie on the tellies. Darling's budget is little less than 4 hours away and the so-called experts are trying to predict just what will Alistair come up with.

One thing for certain, although there will be inducements this time round - they are not going to be as generous as in previous years and will probably only be aimed at certain demographics.

We must hope that the current chancellor is the one who is given the mandate to carry out what is proposed after the General Election which will be called imminently.

For all of our sakes...



- Posted Straight From The iPhone...

Dispatches

Last night's programme on Channel 4 was as bad as it was predicted for those of us of a red hue.

At least the bastards have been given the whipping of their lives.

Whether it's enough to save Labour is another matter..


- Posted Straight From The iPhone...

In The Know...

I see that a massive £2million was staked with online giant Betfair on Italian clubs Chievo and Catania finishing level - with a further £217000 on a 1-1 draw.

The " predicted " draw between Chievo and Catania was facilitated by a game played at walking pace and Catania being given a penalty to make it 1-1.

Betting was suspended before the game, but some big money was wagered early this morning.

Bookies will pay out because the people involved in such corruption are not people who take kindly to being "offended”.  And unsurprisingly everyone involved is very likely to get away with it.  Funny that...

Such a draw is known in Italy as an "Annunciato"

The disease still lurks...

Byers, Hewitt, Adonis – Utter Disgust

Afternoon,

Quick post regarding the bastards above – and their corrupted selves.  There can be no doubt that these three individuals have done some serious crimes to Parliament and to the country following the revelations in the Dispatches programme on Channel 4 tonight.

The three of them have some serious questions to answer – it is imperative that they answer these questions firstly in Parliament and if necessary to the Crown.

Such examples of criminality cannot be tolerated – in light of the expenses scandal – if such allegations are true – and to be fair, there is video evidence to show that it is, then they need to face the consequences.

Any more room at Wandsworth?

Two Clubs – Yet Treated Differently

Good evening,

Getting away from politics for one day, as a Liverpool FC supporter for as long as I can remember, I cannot help but be dismayed at the way that the media are ignoring the continuing protests by the Spirit of Shankly supporters movement to oust our erstwhile owners, Tom Hicks and George Gillett.  Certain news outlets have almost rubbished some of the acts of direct action that the group have done in recent weeks and months. 

This in direct contrast to the way that Manchester United’s supporters groups MUST and IMUSA have apparently been able to get some 30,000 extra signatures into joining their own group to oust their own American owner.  Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ owner Malcolm Glazer.  Media outlets have been reporting in the past few days, that a consortium made of city figures, known as the ‘Red Knights’ are preparing a bid of some sort to buy the club from the Glazer family and give the club eventually back to the fans.  Capitalists buying from capitalists...

The media seem to have some sort of interest in wishing that United stay strong in Football terms, whilst trying to belittle the SOS’ own attempts to oust Hicks and Gillett.  Why would this be the case.  It is well known that United have always got preferential treatment from the London press for decades, for some unknown reason – perhaps it is that they are scared of us.  Scared that Liverpool FC are rising back from the ashes, with the fan base, predominantly left-wing in their political sphere are back on level terms.  The support that the club got in the weeks building up to that legendary night in Istanbul stemmed from the club’s supporters militant history of solidarity against the worst kind.

Thatcher, The S*n, The establishment.

The media are scared of the SOS.  The success of the SOS’ campaign against our owners is against the interest of the establishment. 

A stronger Liverpool FC, means a embolden working class whom see the Redmen as representing more than a football club, more a spirit that will never die.

The bird is waking up.  The powers who are, would do well to notice.

Lessons Learnt. Not With Brown...

Afternoon,

Chairman Brown has been in Afghanistan this morning trying to get away from the angry generals who have been somewhat critical of his assertions that he gave the military whatever they needed during the Iraq fiasco.

Hmmm...

There are some things that you just do not do, when your forces are at war – you do not accuse them of lying in regards of the funds that had been put aside for equipment for the troops not just in Iraq but subsequently in Afghanistan.

The Prime Minister was further accused today by the former chief of the defence staff Lord Guthrie of costing the lives of soldiers by "not fully funding the army", and was asked three questions raised by relatives of some of the 179 British service personnel killed during the conflict during his evidence towards the Iraq enquiry in London yesterday.

Sir Lawrence Freedman, the historian and inquiry member, read out the questions:

• Were you aware of concerns about the lack of armoured vehicles?

• Did you receive any requests for funding, particularly between 1997 and 2006, for the purchase of armoured vehicles?

• Were concerns raised with you about the use of Snatch Land Rovers?

Brown replied: "I do understand the concerns of every relative. Where there has been a death in conflict it is right that we give the fullest explanation possible.

"At every point the answer to the question is: for the operation we are undertaking we have the equipment and we have the resources that are necessary. I don't believe that any prime minister would send our troops into conflict without the assurance from the military that they had the equipment necessary for the operation. I do not believe that there was any request that was made for equipment during the course of these events in Iraq that was turned down."

There can be no doubt that there is an element of the defence staff who are not at all happy with the way that in their eyes, the troops abroad are being negated by Chairman Brown and by extension the Labour government in favour of policy initiatives supposed to curry favour with Labour voters – even though these Labour voters are more likely to have relatives and friends out in the combat zones.  Genius.  What would those voters like more, policies that will never get off the ground of their loved ones coming home safe and well.  Exactly.

Furthermore, Brown is risking losing the goodwill of the voters as a consequence of taking on the military heirachy and facing them down by being so fucking stubborn.  This has been an issue for the voters for months and years nopw, and for Brown not to even hold his hands and admit to such mistakes is as bad as Commisar Blair not showing any contrition for the casualties of war. 

Worse for Labour though is the thought that just when they had clawed the deficit in the polls to barely a few percentage points, that this has the potential to change the narrative entirely.

He cannot afford to do that.  The Palace visit has to come as soon as possible.

Does He Have It In Him?

Afternoon,

As I relax in this exquisite bar here in Canterbury - there are suggestions across the web that Chairman Brown might be considering to go to Her Majesty as soon as this afternoon, to dissolve parliament and to get this Election going.

The polls are somewhat encouraging for Mr Brown with one poll for the Telegraph showing that the Tory lead has been shrunk to as little as five points. Opinion polls are only that, opinion. As Brown was saying as late as the autumn when the Tory lead seemed somewhat insurmountable - the only poll which is important is the one where people have to tick a box.

I do not expect him to go to the Palace this afternoon - I don't think he is that bold and brave to make such a big call.


- Posted Straight From The iPhone...

Still Causing Pain...

Evening,

The residence had a unlikely letter in amongst the mail at the weekend.  A letter for my old man.  Hmmm, we thought he hasn’t be living up here for some 10 years or so, I wonder what on earth this could be about.

It seems that he has been continuing where he left off here, before departing here for the delights of a younger model (hic).  Considering the cunt is approaching 60 this year, you would have thought that he would stop running and start showing some responsibilities.  Not likely anytime soon, I fear...

The letter concerned was from a debt agency (ooh, I’ve seen those before!) and gave us details of his previous address in Suffolk.  An address that we had not been given at all in any of our conversations that we had had with him in the past few years.  Must’ve been running from this particular debt for sometime, as we knew that he had moved back down to Dorset about two years ago.  I think we know why now...

What did puzzle us was this though.  Why use us as a forwarding address for all documents regarding to a property in Suffolk, of which we did not know the full address of.  Very odd, very fucking odd indeed.

And then, like that – it hits home.  He thinks we, or more pertinently my mother will not report such information to the relevant authorities about his dodgy dealings.  She won’t, having been scarred by him, literally - ditto with my sister.  On the other hand, I don’t have such shocking memories.  Well, not at the hand of my old man...

So I contacted the agency, explained the situation, said that he hadn’t lived here for years, and then threw in the curveball of where we think he is right now, giving them details of his previous address down in Bournemouth, as that is where he moved to when he originally left Kent back in 2000.  That’ll screw him over...

He left my mum destitute, thousands of council tax to be paid, and he expects us to tolerate this.  Shit comes to those who wait...

State Of Mind

Evening,

Writing this whilst emptying my bowels. Apologies if you're eating whilst reading this.

Am at the moment in a sense of depression seeing another friend find love relatively quickly, whereas I've been single since the day I left school and although I'm more comfortable being single than I was some time back, there cannot be any doubt that my life would be that bit less daunting and scary if I had someone to share my life with.

I have to start questioning now whether or not I am certain to, in the words of a good colleague die alone in a flat with no one around to care.

And although I am on the right side of 30, that thought truly terrifies me.

- Posted Straight From The iPhone...

Bullying In The Workplace

With Chairman Brown in the news trying to deflect attention away from his own workplace deficiencies towards those of his critics – I have to wonder whether such a attacking move by the Number 10 spin machine is such a wise idea, in light that Labour are only now six points behind the Tories in the last poll done at the weekend. 

Attacking such organisations for confirming such incidences of bullying had been reported to those same organisations does seem a case of shooting the messenger.  If you cannot get them to back down the first time, then get your allies in the state media to do your dirty work for you.

It sounds all so familiar.  Bully the victim yourself at first, then when that doesn’t work, get your friends in the workplace to do bully the same person. 

It’s quite pathetic really.

Is Brown Going To Name The Date?

Well, The big, bold headline in today's Daily Mail suggests the prime minister is poised to "indicate his intention to hold an early election by spelling out Labour's main election pledges" tomorrow. 

The thinking behind that idea is that since one of Brown's pledges will be about ensuring economic recovery, he has a motive to want to call an early election because of fears of a double-dip recession amid a "wave of dire economic news". 

On 23 April, the Office for National Statistics will release growth figures for the first quarter of 2010 that few expect will look rosy.  Surely he wouldn’t go the day before...but it is Gordon we are talking about!

Having A Conscious...

Evening,

There must be times in our lives where we are allowed to question the laws of the land - where laws and regulations which are on the statute books are wrong in some circumstances.

No doubt, everyone has been moved in one way or another by the story regarding Ray Gosling, the veteran journalist, who admitted on a regional news programme shown on Monday evening, that he had smothered his terminally ill lover some 20 years ago. The analagy being that the law of the heart should take higher precendence than that of the land of jurisdiction.

Surprise, surprise the knashing from the tabloids has been inevitable - with one particular rag dragging up the facts that Ray is indeed living under sheltered accomadation, and saying that he was made bankrupt some time ago.

And that's important because? What should be important is what is the story of interest now, not what the situation of the poor man previously.

What this also does now, is that it is going to open up once and for all the whole subject of euthanasia completely - which is no bad thing as the current situation where relatives can potentially be charged with accessory to murder if they assist in helping to end their family member life.

This has been going on for as long as I can remember, we all need clarification and guidance. Are we going to go down the route of other countries such as the Netherlands and Switzerland where such acts are legal, or are we going to keep it as it is and force people to go abroad to carry out their wishes.

- Posted Straight From The iPhone...

Judging The Jury

Morning,

I see that there a survey out this morning in regards to juries and the way that they help or dare I say hinder the criminal justice process.

The main and concerning aspect of the survey is that some 2 out of 3 individuals say that do not understand the legal jargon that is used during trials.

That may be the case, however can you think of a better and fairer criminal process than trial by jury?

Didn't think so.


- Posted Straight From The iPhone...

Playtime!

Evening,

Have this evening started my holiday which runs for just under two weeks, though I'm working on Sunday as it's double time and it's a nice break in the hegemony of the holiday - doing fuck all as normal!

Watching Newswipe with the irrascible Charlie Brooker at the moment, have heard a lot about this through Brooker's own Twitter feed so we thought we'd have a peruse at this, must watch this more often!


- Posted Straight From The iPhone...

Black Propaganda...

from mydavidcameron.com

Alternative Universe

I have thought ever since Chairman Brown came up with the idea of a debate regarding electoral reform that it was a ruse for him to try to save his and Labour’s arses at any potential General Election. 

Electoral Reform is one of the Liberal Democrats main projects, for what seems to have been an eternity – the thinking that if Brown was to get some sort of reform up and running before any election, that in the likelihood of a hung parliament that he could squeeze in with the Lib Dems in some form of so-called Liberal Coalition.

Because let’s be blunt here.  If Labour was on course for another hundred-plus majority would the party be any more interested in electoral reform than it was when Roy Jenkins' Royal Commission reported back in 1998? Of course not.

 

 

Flood Of Guilt...

I see that both Chairman Brown and former Propaganda minister Campbell are in the news for breaking down in front of the cameras...

It is inevitable that when discussions meander towards the death of anyone’s daughter – that the parent is going to be emotional about it.  However, from what I have seen of the Campbell interview on Auntie this morning, it did not seem that the interview was being that bruising.

I cannot help but feel a sense of media manipulation on the side of Campbell in this case...