Monthly Archives: April 2011

                Yesterday was a national celebration. In many communities street parties sprung up without official assistance, subsidy or guidance on how to do them. In many cases people probably just shut their side street and got on with, safe in the knowledge that the pettifogging Inspectors were likely to be having the day off. [...]

  Let street parties thrive. I hope many  enjoy their extra day’s holiday, and wish the Prince and his bride a long and happy marriage. We should say “Thank you” to all who are working today to keep the country’s services running.

      The USA has just had its bad winter moment. Its first quarter 2011  GDP figures were disappointing, with the snow as the leading suspect.  Parts of the USA had a savage winter with snow disrupting activity despite better preparation and mechanisation to handle it than in the UK.              Inflation is also on the rise [...]

               It is typical of modern spin led politics that the Prime Minister’s choice of this catch phrase to a noisy Commons should be regarded as so significant. Whilst it is a phrase that the rest of us do not normally use, it is hardly the cruellest put down.             The country is at [...]

                Growth in the first quarter of 2011 was led by government spending, transport,  and financial and business services. These contributed 0.2%, 0.2% and 0.3% respectively to the GDP growth figure.  This was offset by a loss of 0.3% from construction, with 0.1% growth coming from others.  Whilst manufacturing continued some advance, mining and [...]

                  I did not vote for the Libyan motion when the action was first discussed in the Commons because I was worried about how we could ensure a good outcome. I wondered why Libya and not elsewhere in the Middle East, and why the UK when other countries were closer and had the military means [...]

              Michael Meacher today claims there will be another financial crisis owing to the failure of John Vickers to recommend the splitting of investment and retail banks, and owing to the growth of exchange traded funds.              I think he is looking in the wrong direction for future financial problems. Most informed commentators are [...]

              We read that the Av campaign has just got nasty. Some tell us the Coalition is under stress owing to the new tough rows going on. I don’t think so.              I do not believe Mr Huhne, after the referendum, will pursue the matter through the courts. When didn’t elections throw up contested claims [...]

                  Whilst the eyes of the world and the media have been turned to Libya, the EU has been busily beavering away to strengthen its control over EU memebr states economies. The EU is close to agreeing six powerful new measures to control EU economies, and to create something like a single economic policy [...]

Mr Clegg’s attack on the No to AV campaign was wrong. “This nice little racket” as he calls it  is not confined to  right of centre support. Hasn’t he heard that Margaret Beckett and John Prescott, along with many other figures of the left, are also in favour of keeping our present system of elections? Most [...]