Just Say NO!: To Drink and Drug Sodden Men

Imogen Lloyd Webber writes mournfully in Femail about the trouble she's having finding a man who doesn't dabble with cocaine. Poor Imogen.

Her weeks spent trawling local pubs and bars in North London, her weekends linking up with old college chums - in local pubs and bars round the country.

She should perhaps crack her addictive routine and look under different rocks for her prey? Bell ringing at the local church? Life classes? Hiking, twitching and cycle touring? At 30 it's time to branch out from bar life if she is finding 25-40s in pubs and bars too drink and drug sodden. Even when she goes for a bit of rough they're cokey these days.

Presumably Imogen's writing this controversial and cockle chilling paean at this time has nothing to do with the press launch of her new dating book.

Poor Imogen ends with that old Associated Newspapers faithful. Even the loos at Party Conferences test positive for cocaine! What's a nice girl to do? Oh dear. The sad sack hacks who went round Brighton in 2005 taking swabs from toilets instead of following the Walter Wolfgang story - getting scooped by The Morning Star as a result - couldn't make it stick then. As I suggested to Mail comments:

Mmmm. The toilets that tested positive for Cocaine in Brighton 2005 (Labour) were all in the public areas accessible to meejah and exhibitors. Presumably the same went for the other conferences? What a poor piece of journalism that was from the paper(s) concerned!

Not sure they'll print it. It was the Evening Standard and The Mail after all. Meanwhile Femail also reports a sordid trade in free breast implants for "nieces" engaging in endearing chat, engaging pictures and the like that persuades internet "uncles" to sponsor them under the knife.

Dizzy reports that the delightfully acronymed British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons is not amused.

TRIVIA: The guy who used to fix the crews of local roadies for Edinburgh venues - still at it for all I know - was known as Cokey. And his firm? The Happy Humpers.

Doctor Who: Ahead of his Time with English Usage

Martha Jones and Captain Jack are jabbering. Doctor Who says: "We're at the End of the Universe, and you're just ... just blogging."

Japan: Teaching Old Dogs New Tricks

Seems that Japan is opening an aged pooches home.

Cameronstenes: "Without Labour Nothing Prospers"

The Mirror suggested yesterday that Dave-id Cameron - He's hisTory after yet another literary-historical reference which has his own side baffled.

The Mirror were fairly gentle with DC really. He was doing the old Punch and Judy thing; jeering at a parliamentarian who had been seriously ill; using a comparator who was famously afflicted with a speech impediment; and worst of all, surely missing his audience or helping convince them he's a stuck up, callous, Bullingdon Bully Boy Toff.

Meanwhile Recess Monkey reports Number 10 sending out an email to Labour MPs to help them with any baffled constitutents, but sadly giving the wrong reference. The God and Cult Figurehead rather than the Top Orator.

The Mirror news story ended by reminding Cameron of Sophocles' dire warning to the people: "Without Labour nothing prospers". Amen to that.

Tory Blogger: Baffled by Law of Defamation

Iain Dale can't understand why Martyn Jones MP won his libel case against the sloppy journo Simon Walters and the Mail on Sunday. It's simple: What they published was damaging. They couldn't prove any of it. They lost. Quite right too. This is the same hack and the same publisher that wrote and published a pile of actionable twaddle about blogger Owen Barder. His site is down since this extraordinary attack, but there were many supportive Bloggers' responses. This one from a ToryClassical Liberal etc (see comments).

Owen's case if he took one could be worth a lot more than the £5,000 and costs that Mr Jones trousered. The skunk Walters appeared to be deliberately attacking Owen's livelihood. TRYING to damage him with a twisted story.

I've known Owen as a virtual correspondent for many years as we were both busy contributors to the UKRunning community on Yahoogroups in its early days - often helping coach beginners and improvers there. Our clubs (his is Serpentine AC) compete regularly in the mad cap Welsh Castles Relay too, though I don't recall ever meeting him.

(I was very proud to be in the 2003 Salford Harriers team which was not only the first non-Welsh Club to take the prize, but also took the Kings of the Mountains award, with Yours Truly on one of the six hilliest legs that count for that.)

Owen's dad Brian has an excellent blog himself. He is a former Ambassador and Immigration Judge who resigned from the latter role for the best of reasons.

Deputy Dawgs: Still at It, Hammer and Sickle (not)

The BBC looks back on last night's Question Time with less enthusiasm than Iain Dale who says Johnson, Benn and Harman shone. And sticks his neck out with a ranking that matches the betting which has seen Jon Cruddas tumble out from 5-1 to 12-1.

Thought he did alright myself. Most members will already have voted. For those that haven't, see links passim, or the BBC site on the Issues and discounting a move to the left. Though more Council Houses, more Living Wage, more International Solidarity, and still more cash for Education and Health all look rather real-Labour-ish.

Really and truly it's not all about Selling Merchandise. With six second or third tier pollies battling for a bit of a non-job. But as Hattersley and Kettle agree while the post is pants this contest is about the heart and soul of the party.

Still think that whoever is running third after two eliminations - which may be Jon Cruddas or Harriet Harman - will get most of the live transfers from their spar, with any to Blears and Hain too little too late, and could surprise. First Post's Mole believes Harrie will be a winner, win or lose in this poll.

Charlestown, Charlestown: Tories Have Lost the Plot

1. Labour (1) 1373
2. BNP (-) 628
3. Lib Dems (3) 239
4. Tories (2) 188
5. Greens (4) 81

The Tories did not put out any general print or conduct any general campaign or 'phone work. They simply sent letters to and called up their known supporters. The Greens didn't even do that.

Tories lost around 250 votes since May. Probably to the BNP. The Lib Dems are on around the same figure. Slightly dented perhaps. I've not checked. But as with Higher Blackley it looks as if around 400 non voters were motivated to join in. Whether on the general pavement issues or the dog whistle of immigration.

Meanwhile: This morning Nick Griffin was given an hour of "soft ride" on Radio 5 Live. He spoke mostly cack. Plausible and unanswered cack.

Charlestown, Charlestown: Will the BNP Take 2nd? Or the Tories? Or those Pestilent Lib Dems?

What a Merry Dance we're led at times. Today has been the Charlestown By-Election. Labour will hold the seat I'm sure. Declaration soon no doubt. And Labour will improve the Council's balance with another woman councillor. Hurrah.

But will the Tories hold second place? On about 430 votes as I recall? Do they deserve to? With no campaign to the electorate at large AT ALL? And if not will it be the Lib Dems, who did run a campaign, who overtake? Or the BNP, who ran a Lib Dem style campaign also? Or even the Greens?

Libdemologists: "Councils Should Rip Off Farmers"

Mr GuF catches the fading Lib Dem helmsman doing something wrong. No change there then.

"W" Menzies Campbell appears to be suggesting a new ABC of Local Government morality:

A. Councils refuse farmers and other landowners planning permission but take their "useless" land off their hands;
B. Councils then grant planning to themselves and flog the land at a premium to developers;
C. Lib Dem Councillors immediately double their allowances, as in Bristol;

OK, OK, I know he didn't say that last one. Though Bristol Lib Dems did do it as soon as they gained control last time.

Ming's idea was that Councils would laugh all the way to the bank.

In actual fact a similar process of site assembly, master planning, and partnership has being practiced very honourably for many years, including under English Partnerships, and Urban Development Companies and the like. But this benefits all parties and the public interest as added value is churned back into commercially softer elements.

Mr GuF contrasts Mr Campbell's clumsy proposal - which will hearten every Labour and Tory activist with some pestilent Lib Dems moaning about planning proposals - with a speech of one year's vintage where Sir Ming called for small government.

The BBC has more including Yvette Cooper explaining an existing commitment to serious ramping up. 200,000 per annum by 2016.

Tony Blair's Diary: Why Dale Was Wrong on PMQs

Iain Dale gets a bit pissed when I disagree with or criticize him. Not in the Nicholas Sarkozy sense of pissed* (Iain is tea total) but just, you know, pissed off. But he seems to have his eye semi-permanently off the ball of truth and good sense at the moment. Today he asserts that Blair Was Wrong at PMQs.

To be specific IDD asserts that Blair has Dave-id Cameron voting against legislation when he did not. But here is the transcript Iain quotes:

The right hon. Gentleman [Mr Cameron] says that we have done nothing about sex offences, but let me just remind him that the Sex Offences Act 2003 created and redefined more than 50 sex offences and set tough new maximum sentences. We set up the sex offenders register. The Criminal Justice Act 2003 allows us, for the first time, to give indeterminate sentences for the most dangerous, violent or sexual offenders. What did the right hon. Gentleman do when that Act came before Parliament? He voted against it. [HON. MEMBERS: “Oh!”] It is true. This is the single most important thing that we can do. For the first time, we can keep those who are a threat to the public behind bars—but when it came to the tough decision, he ducked it.

Of course though I'm just a little older than ID I'm much less experienced at this blogging and commentating game - for which Iain has just been shortlisted in a national award - but IT IS BLOODY OBVIOUS in the quote Iain himself provides that Blair is saying Cameron voted against the Criminal Justice Act 2003.

Blair says "that Act" not an ambiguous "the Act" and wins this one game, set and match.

* People are making apologies but if he was not bladdered what was he?

Nadine Dorries: Calls for Compulsory Chemical Castration for Any and All Child Sex Offenders

Nadine Dorries MP has been out on the terrace again. Caught the sun (or The Sun) I think. Under the title Dr Peter Saunders.. and chemical castration Nad states that all child sex offenders should be compulsorily chemically castrated. She makes no distinction between these offenders. These surely range from mild viewers to serial abusers, exploiters, rapists, and killers. Every case is serious. Some are more serious than others.

Nadine has been charmed by Dr Peter, the General Secretary of the Christian Medical Fellowship, into changing to this position. He has, she says, changed her mind before. Nadine Dorries MP is in thrall to what looks rather like a US-style Christian Right pressure group, headed by a charismatic. She is highly suggestible and tipped for promotion. Is that it?

Dodgy Dossier: Can We See the Precursor Please?

There is a widely supported EDM tabled by Tory backbencher John Baron and named:
MR JOHN WILLIAMS' DRAFT DOSSIER ON IRAQ'S WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION.

The story is relayed at Chris Ames' Iraq Dossier site which has a 'live' front page as well as blog, links and so on. And there is a Number 10 Petition HERE. This is potentially an incendiary send off for Tony Blair and his Iraq Legacy. Perhaps part of some line drawing for Gordon? Or was it dealt with back in November 2006? *

Hat tip: Iain Dale's Diary which carries a PA report of a Westminster Hall debate of this morning. Will link to Hansard anon.

* Iain may be interested to take a quick look at John Williams' (right) own account of the circumstances including his view that he had expected the draft to be available on the Hutton site along with Campbell's reference to Williams' work. But he says that as a civil servant at the time, he has to respect FCO decision in face of Chris Ames' FoIA request. HERE.

Steve Bell and other Guardian cartoon tees here.

SMS Blogging: Anywhere Blogs in Manchester

Nice idea. Though the website could hardly be more information poor. Will come back to this one later. But if you text MUS, UNI, COR or ROY to 07624 819 019 you will get a text back with thoughts about Manchester Museum, University of Manchester, Cornerhouse and Royal Exchange respectively. URB for Urbis and so on. Texts outward are at standard rate and inward they're free. Use a web to text service like CBFSMS and it is completely free.

To add to the memories, poems, thoughts at any of the 20 nodes send the tag followed by your space and a normal length message and this will become part of the content there. Or you can create a new node by using a one word tag of any length, followed by a space and your message. I've started one for CHORLTON. I'm guessing you can write on it by texting CHORLTON (possibly CHO), space, and your comment to the above number. You can also WAP over to http://www.ablogs.org/wap/?d=ABLOG44413072372 for more as it arrives, and also WAP links.

More anon.

Labour Party: "Slumping" Membership Figures

From the left Labour perspective of Dave's Part to the right Tory stance of the IDD there is interesting coverage of Labour membership figures. Now said to have "plummeted" to 177,000 by Iain Dale - who credits no source - or "slumped" by Dave Osler who does (Press Association).

This is down from around 200,000 in autumn 2005 and is therefore a 'plummet' or a 'slump' of around 6% per calendar year. Even the plummet from 400,000 was, on average, at a similar rate - 50% over ten years. Dale claims the Tories have a bumper 250,000 members, though this is a hotly disputed figure and pot, kettle and 'black bastards' remarks spring to mind here. Many membership organisations have been losing members.

Way back in September 2005 your blogger was sent to Conference in Brighton as Manchester Central's delegate. On the way there from an Anti War demo in london - in the company of LATW stalwarts Graham, Stephen and Andrew, and interspersed with Radio5Live commentary on the great West Ham 1-1 "victory" over the Arse, your correspondent remonstrated with the CAC (Conference Arrangements Committee) to see out Contemporary Resolution reinstated.

This was to recognise the losses in voters, members, councillors and councils controlled under Blair and to gently set the wheels in motion for an eventual succession contest. This would probably have happened on a similar timetable to the one we have just had if the resolution had been both passed and actually enacted. Not something that goes without saying.

CAC tried to suggest it was not "contemporary", although hitting the 50% mark of 1997 membership was pretty significant and timely. And then CAC claimed hilariously that the matter was "already on the agenda". In three places! Further representations ensued but the resolution was spiked.

The CAC had also disingenuously given the Resolution the tag "Membership" rather than a more sensible "Blair Costs Votes" and as knocked back resolutions are published only as a list of titles there was no indication of the content on the record.

The CAC said the resolution was being referred to the NEC for determination. Sadly despite a couple of polite reminders and polite promises of action from Sir Jeremy Beecham nothing has been done.

Meanwhile I was informed by a number of party workers that I'd be wasting my time trying to get called to the platform on any matter whatsoever - something which was tested with attempts in three or four debates without success. This even extended to areas where I could clearly be relied on to be on message e.g. exposing Lib Dem treachery.

I had not voted for the resolution that was chosen by the constituency. It was the big route one hoof up the pitch rather than the patient build up I wanted. I had instead devised a resolution about a parallel universe. Premiership football. Where born and bred reds were being usurped in influence by Americans.

Where born and bred reds were seeing the FA and leading clubs furthering the international agenda at the expense of the domestic. Where the sense of ownership and loyalty of the born and bred reds was waning. In short there was a crisis of leadership at united and in the game in general.

Eventually I did get up to the platform as the very first speaker on the last day. Asking that the agenda for the day be referenced back to the CAC and that space be created for a fraternal greeting from Labour CND. To be delivered by one Walter Wolfgang, Deputy Chair of that body. This motion got more votes than expected but was not passed.

Walter could have replaced a session with the renowned election fighters and pavement politicians Baroness Amos and Lord Faulkner which was going to teach activists to "engage with voters". Ha ha ha, bloody ha.

These anecdotes aside LOL note that Labour (a) still have a massive number of levy paying Trade Unionists, making a corrected Tory figure look rather pathetic; and (b) will enjoy a membership bounce over the next 12 to 24 months as Gordon gets busy.

I may stick some links and images in later. Busy busy busy.

Ham Dram: What's Copper Doing Informing on MP?

Apart from the unfortunate confusion in some of the reporting on this silly season story of a Met Plod Guard falling out with an MP I began to wonder - on reading Guido's additional reporting - what a copper was doing snitching on someone they should serve with respect and discretion?

UPDATE: It seems that apart from a mix up in a direct quote between the interrogators 'Who' and 'What' and the confusion and profusion of ambiguous he, he, hims Mr Dale's story wasn't too far off the money. And hats off for pulling it quickly when the issues were pointed out.

Breaking News: Blears' Office Block Crumbles

The BBC reports that Hazel Blears and six other Members of Parliament were working in the building and actually on the affected fourth and fifth floors just a couple of hours before they crumbled soon after 4pm today. Six Hazey for Leader volunteers were in the building when it started "disco dancing". The Health and Safety Executive will investigate say police.
Hazel Blears (left) for scale. Would this be a good time to admit that for the last two months, barring my trip to Notts and Staffs, I have woken up next to Hazel Blears every single day? That's an exclusive.

Training Again: Dogging on the Mersey Banks

Following my "silver" in the Rushcliffe Kenyan Orphans Family Fun Run on Saturday, inspired by tobacconist Ken Clarke MP, there's no holding me back and I complete a pretty nippy 7k on the Mersey Banks. Hooch, Ottey and Jim are pleased (a) to have me running again and (b) that I didn't run quite as fast as Tarus on such a warm day.

Prize Winning Tory Blogger: Libelling Litigious MP?

This is the headline on Mr Dale's latest attempt at journalism:
Libel Case Labour MP: "I Don't Give a S*** Who You Are".

Towards the end of the piece of nonsense prose which follows this unpromising start Mr Dale writes:

He says he told him: "I don't ...." etc

But which he is which? I put it to you, ladies and gentlemen of the libel jury, that Mr Dale has again stuffed up and that it is the MP who is alleging the guard said these words to him. Not vice versa as Iain's shoddy headline and report suggests. These particular words would not make sense the other way round. And even amended as reported in the update below they don't make that much sense.

Time to offer a sincere apology to the litigious MP I'd have thought? The case Dale is reporting is of course a complete waste of time. The Mail on Sunday have repeated some hearsay they cannot prove and should have retracted and apologised immediately rather than wasting everyone's time and money. The MoS is a newspaper not a shoddy blog and should raise the standards bar.

Iain Dale has a great blog. Very popular. Sometimes amusing and often informative. If only on how some Tories think. But there is a careless streak running through it, coupled with a "Dale Knows Best" approach to alternative views and facts which conflict with his own opinions.

Sunday before last he levelled some rather ridiculous claims and some rather unwanted professional advice at our Sunday papers. And this Sunday he followed that by repeating and embroidering some Observer garbage about Cameron having invented the telephone, or somesuch.

Yesterday he said I was making a fool of myself by covering this. He, that's Dale, was wrong then. And he, still Dale, appears to be wrong now.

UPDATE: Iain has taken down the post but reposted a rather tortured Daily Telegraph extract to keep us happy. In their report a similar quote to that in Iain's headline WAS attributed to the MP. But the "who" was "what" and, although this is still a big bunch of unqualified hearsay, that at least makes a bit more sense to be spoken by the MP.

Then again, still not much sense. Was the report compiled by some cub reporter? The Editor's niece on work experience perhaps?

UPDATE 2: In fact Mr Jones appears to have owned up to the "what you are" remark, crazy as it seems.

Deputy Dawgs: Humanists Keep the Faith

Some interesting questions to prospective DDs from the Labour Humanists. Some classic political avoidance.

Charlestown By-Election: First the Good News ...

Both Searchlight and Unite Against Fascism have been active in this ward to combat the threat of the BNP in Thursday's by-election. The BNP themselves are doing a pretty bog standard new-fascist campaign, muttering and grouching about this that and the other in the manner of the Lib Dems themselves.

So, so far, so so. But then we come to the Lib Dems themselves. They may well place fourth of five in the contest. Unfortunately though they reckon to be a major party and all that. Only they can beat Labour. Dodgy bar charts. Two horse races. Claiming credit they do not deserve. Calling local grafters "Blair's candidate". Featuring George Bush. So very very negative.

They could do with following the BNP lead and pursuing the real local issues which come under the auspices of the Council. But this reality bores Lib Dems. It offers little opportunity to score points. We have a great City and a great Council.

Schools are improving, Anti-social behaviour and crime are falling. Police and support officers are rising. The grass is cut. The flowers are blooming.

There is a real pride in the area and less litter, graffiti and eyesores than in some other wards. There are good community facilities, including new ones in neighbouring areas keeping their young people occupied. The parks too are continuously improving. Recycling is increasing.

So what do the Lib Dems do? They continue to tell their fibs about bin collections being reduced to fortnightly. And what's this? They are running another campaign too? What's that you say? About hospital facilities closing? Reminiscent of their scandalous Christie Hoax where cancer patients desperate to survive and undergoing difficult regimes of chemo- and radio-therapy had leaflets telling them their lifeline was closing. How callous and ruthless can you get?

I have yet to see the leaflet and the specific exaggerations, insinuations and fibs they are hawking this time.

I'm glad they're running some sort of campaign though. They did very little in Higher Blackley where the BNP surged. While the BNP scratched their back with a low intensity campaign in a nearby Lib Dem target seat.

Lib Dem health hoax tactics in Manchester are despicable. Whatever the ins and outs of their new campaign.

Tony Blair Apologises: ... to David Cameron, Bloggers and The Observer Miss the Story, Again

Tony Blair doesn't really do apologies. But Iain Dale is cock a hoop at the pile of utter doo doos in The Observer this week reporting that Blair (and Reid) are grovelling to apologise on behalf of Gordon Brown. Dale thinks this justifies his erroneous story of last week that Gordon bullied the lobby not to seek comments from the opposition on his un-news that he is going to be tough on the Terrorist Threat.

I cannot pretend to be too surprised at Blogger Dale. But I must say I think that The Observer have messed up here and missed the real story. Iain has almost inevitably followed suit. That'll be Spades probably as he digs himself deeper.

Ridiculissimus! as Harry Potter might say if confronted with a Boggart. Come on the lot of you! Dale, Blair, Reid, Cameron, Davis. All of you have every reason to want to rain on Gordon's parade. But this story is even more ridiculous than last week's "blogger as journalism expert" story.

The use of phone tap evidence in such cases has been in the ether and over the wires and in the water literally FOR YEARS.

Without Googling the history of that discussion my recollection is that Brown WAS in near the start but that Blair and Blair and Reid rained on his parade then too, trying to push 90 days internment against the grain.

This idea DOES NOT come from a recent cosy Blair-Cameron chat. It predates Cameron's rule and if Blair and Reid really are apologizing and briefing on this now it is because they are rather spiteful yesterday's men. THAT is the real story here.

Do you REALLY think this is a new idea from David Cameron Iain? Really? Sheesh. I was pretty amazed at this cack in the Observer to be quite honest.

Busy Weekend: Been Quiet But Plenty to Blog Later

On Friday afternoon :

- Drove down to Nottinghamshire and watched GPs squirming at how little they knew about musculo-skeletal injuries;
- Bit of a moment when talk of evolution sees Tarus shaking his head (despite some rather good LOL fruit fly explanations of evolution, which he understands, he is a nurtured gut creationist);
- Shocked that myself and Tarus are billeted in Tory household (parents of a rather free radical socialistic friend of mine);
- Discover that these "Tories" may be socialists taking the ninja route to success;

On Saturday morning :

- First road traffic accident for many years, minor damage to my volvo, their driver's side door mashed;
- Witness factual basis of Graham Fellowes' (aka Jilted John) track "Dancing Doctors", oh my god;
- Meet and greet Rt Hon Ken Clarke MP who starts healthy 10k for Principia-NHS Partnership but seems itchy to get away to have a long drag on a Cuban Cigar, but manages some excellent banter and soundbites in his withdrawal;
- Tarus "jogs" 10k race in record time, four minutes faster than the rest. 32:01 which is effectively a course record and ridiculously fast for a jog (the boy's best this year is 30:58, 3% better, so he may be on 97% effort, he has a proper race tomorrow, so I'm concerned);
- Guy with no legs and cheetah feet also does 10k as warm up for Comrades Marathon (56 Miles);
- Commonwealth 1500m Champ Lisa Dobriskey is here starting races and the like, then off to Poland to run for GB;
- LOL correspondent finishes tactically second to some 12-year-old in family fun run, supposed to be one mile which means I've just done a four-minute one;
- Between all this probably £10,000 at least raised for the Kenyan Orphan Project which brought us down here;
- Back to Tory house. Tour of fantastic smallholding in back garden and lots of hydroponic veg. Then lunch from the proceeds;
- Hog Roast and Ceilidh (more dancing doctors, arguably more suited to this medium);
- Back again to Tory house, still more evidence of socialism and good sense in discussions;

On Sunday:

- Escape gravitational pull of Ken "BAT" Clarke (the health run starter and tobacconist) and Patrick "Black Bastards" Mercer constituencies and head for Stoke;
- Root through bag for Tee Shirt most likely to turn heads in Stoke, choose one;
- Turn heads with tee shirt in Stoke at the "Great British Cafe" and all day actually;
- Word is that Simon Tanui, who beat Tarus at Sheffield Half, will run. And Bashir Hussein and Rob Deakin and others;
- Race started by Stoke Mayor Bagh Ali, a huge surprise considering how the chosen tee shirt is going;
- 70 minutes later Tarus wins, Rob second; Simon and Bashir did not attend;
- Very pleased with these results, best weekend ever for the Tarus/CP athlete/coach sensation;

Later the same day:

- Get home, my three dogs are overwhelmingly affectionate to see us back;
- Read Observer, their ridiculous Allergy Special could be fisked for a month, no science at all;
- Lovely walk with dogs, chat with partner about all sorts, including Diogenes (theatrical lightwieght), Deputy Leader choices (good one(s) I think), Dancing Doctors (competence wise) and of course Risk and Screening, as you do;
- Start to assemble 3-D jigsaw of my car bits crunched, collected by our hosts, looks promising;
- TV Gardening thing; marvellous shallots, cardies, marrows and minature gardens;
- Dr Who: Marvellous episode. About halfway through Tarus stops looking and pretends to read Guardian TV Guide instead, utterly scared at a rather good episode whose essenec is to not look away;
- Big Brother: obviously Lesley leaves. One of the boys they've put in may be sane but is 200% annoying former catholic, muslim convert, former het, gay convert, control freak throughout. Won't last long.

Clearly, even without any events whatsoever happening this week, LOL has some stuff to blog about. More anon, as they say.

Charles Glover Returns: Strangely Silent on Real Issues, Viz Lib Dems Fib, Cheat and Arguably Steal

On Friday Manchester Lib Dem Councillor Charles Glover posted a comment on an ages old post and yesterday I replied.

In a comment there he says I was wrong to say he missed the first Full Council meeting after his election. And he says I was wrong that he spent time in Rotterdam when he was "too tired" to fulfill his council responsibilities in Failsworth.

So, perhaps I rushed a bit and it was another Full Council meeting he missed though exhaustion? And he was too tired to do his job in Failsworth for other reasons, perhaps a different destination?

Personally I think most people would think he was splitting hairs if it was a different early meeting and a different cause, perhaps a different overseas city, responsible for his exhaustion and failure. I did indicate I was working from memory with the phrase "as I recall". But I'm happy to prostrate myself in shame and apologise for these errors.

However, this is just deflection. The substantive issues he does not deal with AT ALL are:

A. Labour and Tories and all reasonable people need a long term campaign against Lib Dem dishonesty;
B. Repeating mistakes and falsehoods in campaign literature once these are known should be a serious electoral offence with leaflets pulped, fines and disqualification, for example on the Lib Dems' Christie Cancer Closure Hoax - which they are still repeating two years on, when exposed after just one week - or their recent Bin Bollocks;
C.i. That Manchester Lib Dems use tax payers money to create campaigning print, for example the blatant parliamentary reports in 2006 featuring young Glover himself, and in 2007 featuring most of their local candidates with their priority man Paul "Bastards" Ankers ON THE COVER;
C.ii. That this Lib Dem MP is going touting for support and casework outside his constituency area (including where Paul "Bastards" Ankers was the candidate), including with the print specified in Ci; and
C.iii. That there should be serious penalties for this behaviour.
D. That Lib Dems appear to have substantially overspent on the 2005 General Election in Manchester Withington Constituency - including just £17 for total phone costs;
E. That McLeech has taken PAID ADVERTS in Lib Dem campaigning material to subsidise it. A tactic discredited when Chris Huhne MEP, now MP, did it YEARS AGO

Cllr Glover says he is not surprised that (Lib Dem) people don't comment. Now he knows why. He is a fool. His party are liars and cheats. He should let a scarcely noticed sleeping dog lie. He is a fool, so he didn't.

Glover and Co have no answers to these hard questions. This, plus their miserable and negative campaigning, is why Lib Dems fail. In Failsworth and in general.

FOOTNOTE: Charles Glover and the Manchester Lib Dems have clearly noticed my blog's policy of allowing a right to reply and apologising if apologies are due. They have presumably noticed in the same place that THIS IS A PERSONAL WEBLOG.

If Lib Dems repeat their assertions that this is in any way shape or form an official Manchester Labour blog - as they stated in campaign literature 2007 - this will simply confirm their disgraceful disregard for the truth. This time and every time it's personal.

UPDATE: Glover certainly missed Full Council on 7 March this year.

Tory Oracle Explains: Don't Give Rich Tax Breaks

Under the title Tax Cuts Explained Iain Dale reproduces a hokey USA explanation of how taxation works.

I'm guessing he thinks it's a good story and shows what would happen if the underclasses object to tax breaks for rich folk.

How wrong can a champion blogger be? Any wise US Republican or Conservative with their head screwed on will realise that contrary to the author's intention and Mr Dale's interpretation this parable demonstrates that VIOLENT REVOLUTION and EXILE will happen - according to this expert - if rich people's taxes were cut.

I'm not making it up. According to the story the rich would be given a beating and then be sent hang dog into exile.

If they imagine for one moment they could take "their" stuff with them they should think again. The richest are already taking the piss with their clever accountants and lawyers. Enough is enough.