Some predictions......

Morning all, seeing as the New Year is upon it is now the moment for that time honoured tradition of predictions for the year to come and a look back at the abject failure of the predictions I made last year. Now, as luck would have I had a 100% hit rate last year as I didn't actually make any predictions, so go me! So let's see if I can repeat that success this year.

1. The Coalition will fall and a minority Tory Administration will stumble on for a while. I don't know why I think this, but I just have a feeling that a set of events will lead to the end of the Coalition. A handful of resignations on the one hand, and some Tory rebels on the other.
2. A male member of Parliament will tell everyone that they want to be called Loretta and start coming to the House dressed in drag causing much merriment at first for all involved.
3. We'll still be in Afghanistan by the end of the year.
4. Three famous people will die suddenly and in quick succession and everyone will be muttering knowingly that "everything comes in threes".
5. Kauto Star will win the rescheduled King George VI Chase and seal his place in horse racing folklore - AP McCoy will be happy to having been the jockey.
6. Liverpool FC will not be relegated but it will be a really close call. Evertonians will continue to offer counselling advise on dealing with mediocrity after greatness.
7. England will struggle to qualify for the European Championships with everyone blaming the manager and no one blaming the players.
8. There will be guilty verdicts in the cases of certain expense dodging MPs but the sentences will be lenient causing outrages about double standards.

OK, that's your lot, back in a few days.

Tidings of joy and all that s***

Morning all, if you're reading this on the day it appeared then you're a sad sack. However, now you're here we might as well continue.

So, in light of the recent "coming out" of Deputy Speaker Nigel Evans, and to celebrate the creation of "Parli-Out" for all the lesbian, gay and trans-gender politicians out there (I believe the correct acronym is LGBT), this year's Christmas song is below. Enjoy!

Merry Christmas

Ed Miliband - serial killer look

Must................................... speak............................ slowly......................... with............................ overlong................. pauses................. Must stare...................... intensely...................... and scare................... children.


Now Guido noted it as "Son of Brown", but I'd say this may in fact be in a different league to Brown entirely. I just hope he never has access to weapons, close combat or otherwise..

Liberal Conspiracy reported to the Charity Commission?

On Tuesday, I posted about the rather amusing lack of success that Sunny Hundal, Liberal Conspiracy and the anti-cuts campaign, "False Economy" had in trying to get a political song to the Christmas number one. Putting that aside though, it appears that the story does not end there.

It's come to my attention, that the details of the Liberal Conspiracy post, and in particular the part quote below, has resulted in a formal complaint/letter being sent to the Charity Commission alleging a possible breach of charity law.

All proceeds from the sale of “Liar Liar” will go to charities helping victims of the cuts. Assuming a 79p sale price, Crisis (23p each time), Disability Alliance (23p), our campaign site False Economy (16.5p) and Women’s Health Matters (16.5p) will benefit.*

The complainant has noted that "False Economy" is not a registered charity, and given its overtly political purpose is very unlikely to ever pass the test of being considered charitable.

So, by claiming that the recording is being sold exclusively for charity, while admitting to skimming off one-fifth of the purchase price for a political organisation with non-charitable status and objectives, it is contended that Liberal Conspiracy (and potentially False Economy too) are in breach of Charity law.

Fun, fun, fun huh? Will be interesting to see what if anything comes of it.

* At the time of the original post I noted the absurd and idiotic idea that 100% of a sale price on iTunes goes to the artist anyway.

Just a thought but.....

Ed Miliband has made a statement about a scheme called "Bookstart" which is being scrapped,

"This Conservative-led government knows the price of everything and the value of nothing. The abolition of Bookstart will deprive children of an early opportunity to discover the joy of reading.

"It is one of the programmes introduced by Labour of which I am most proud. It was a gift from the government to the next generation.

Errrr what's wrong with going to a public library?

Update: Looks like they;re actually only cutting 25% of this, and Bookstart is not being scrapped at all. From the Booktrust website:

As a charity Booktrust does not make a profit so materials are sourced at very competitive prices and this keeps our costs very low. For instance, central funding from the taxpayer is only 25% of the retail cost of delivering Bookstart. This is thanks to our sponsors and to our charitable status."

Christmas is evil!

I always knew it to be true, and these nice sane people have shown me the way.

Saying this, it's Christmas right, so best go off and get pissed one last time before I get a raging hot poker up my arse!

Note: Feel free to call them and leave a message. Try not to be abusive though.

What's wrong with Newscorp owning all of BSkyB?

After left it a day or so, I'd thought now would be a good time to mention Vince Cable and the "Murdoch" nonsense that is sweeping over so many lefties at the moment. First of all, I must say that I don't really understand the visceral Murdoch hating types and the whole "Murdoch == evil => all things owned by Murdoch == evil" equation that goes on in their minds.

Yes, I have seen Goldeneye Tomorrow Never Dies, but I know it's a film, not a documentary.

So anyway, I'm a little confused about why there is so much concern about Murdoch owning the whole of BSkyB and not 39.9% of it. If someone would like to explain what actual difference it will make to what people can choose to watch I'm all ears.

I've heard some suggestions that it will mean that Sky News, for example, will become severely partisan and right wing like Fox News. Fair enough. How though does this effect the fact that BBC News 24, CNN, and others will still exist not just on the Sky platform (which isn't free) but also the Freeview platform?

What's more, what does it actually matter if that did happen? If you don't like it. Don't watch it. Anyhow, I seriously want to understand why it is that Murdoch owning all of BSkyB when he already has effective control over the whole thing, is something that shouldn't happen.

EXCLUSIVE: Some people who work together don't like each other

It is with shock that I have to reveal a reality that you may not have been aware of. Politicians from different political parties slag each other off behind closed doors - even when those two different parties are in a coalition together.

I realise that this may be thoroughly shocking to you. You may have been thinking that there was general harmony and unity between the two parties of the Coalition. That the goldfish bowl had gone around full of car keys and different people had gone off to different rooms for full scale "coalition building".

Sadly this was not to be. You see, I know it's difficult to believe, but actually, whilst they may be working together, they don't all necessarily like each other. This is of course not like the real world of say business for example, where, as everyone knows, there is no slagging off of people privately to colleagues whilst smiling sweetly and not rocking the boat to their faces.

So anyway, there you have it. I hope this has not spoiled your day and the illusions of group sex group hugs.

So much for "Ed's Pledge"

Following on from yesterday's post I was mildy amused to read the following on Ed Miliband's website

"I pledge that if I am elected leader of the Labour Party I will campaign for Labour’s Minimum Wage Act to be fully enforced so that employers must pay their interns what they are due."

It tickled me you see when placed next to this job advert for interns on the "Labour Yes" campaign that Ed Miliband has endorsed,

We are currently looking for interns to help with this campaign... Internships will be unpaid but successful candidates will receive a daily lunch allowance and travel expenses within London (zones 1-6).

Good to see Ed is capable of practicing internally what he preaches for externally ain't it?

Update: Even members of Ed's own front bench shadow Health team are advertising for unpaid interns.

Oh to be a SpAd huh?

Interesting, the Shadow Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, John Denham, is looking for a SpAd to assist in policy review and general work of shadowing the Business, Innovation and Skills department.

• The successful candidate will need:
• A strong knowledge of public policy as well as Parliamentary and political processes,
• A strong record of research and policy development in a fast moving environment,
• Excellent media skills with a record of working in a high-paced media environment,
• Possess excellent communication skills with the ability to prepare written and oral briefings for senior stakeholders,
• Have substantive experience working within a political environment, and
• Possess exceptional organisational and decision making skills.

So, no business knowledge required for a job that will involve formulating Labour business policy!

Surely though there should be a skill requirement for the ability to spot a hidden microphone though?