Back in Business?

I've just gone through the process of verifying this site and I'm considering a return to the fray, either here on this site or perhaps in a new blog. Watch this space.

National Identity?: It's A Red White & Blue Herring Is That

This image appeared when First Post tried to annoint Sadiq Khan as Britain's Obama and Labour's London Mayoral candidate (then a crowded field to be fair). But hey! David Cameron, our Prime Minister, has made a controversial speech in Munich of all places, welcomed by a NeoCon in the Telegraph and the at times odd Quilliam Foundation to name but two.

Not so much for Mehdi Hasan in the New Statesman. And there's this corruscating soundbite preview by Sadiq Khan speaking to The Mirror.

This rebuke for Cameron's alleged propagandising for the EDL on the day of their latest damp squib of a demo in moistened Luton was in turn rebuked by the rather ludicrous Baroness Warsi. She in turn being rebuked by the first NeoCon mentioned, one Nile Gardner, for "the debacle of Baroness Warsi’s controversial address at Leicester University" which Nile reminds us was not sanctioned by Number 10. Something of a rebuke-athon.

Political Betting ask should Sadiq have dissed the PM and his gert great dog whistle?. LOL's contribution (5) to the ensuing discussion:

National solidarity is far less important in this matter than human solidarity, what one academic/author* called “species consciousness”. National identity is a red white and blue herring.

National identity is over-rated. Being human is the thing to consider.

* writing on 18 September 2001 of the events of 11 September 2001

OOPS: I Did It Again -> Tories Vote Against NHS, Again

Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah
Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah

I think I did it again
I made you believe we"re more than just friends
Oh baby
It might seem like a crush
But it doesn"t mean that I"m serious
"Cause to lose all my senses
That is just so typically me
Oh baby, baby

:Chorus:
Oops!...I did it again
I played with your heart, got lost in the game
Oh baby, baby
Oops!...You think I"m in love
That I"m sent from above
I"m not that innocent

You see my problem is this
I"m dreaming away
Wishing that heroes, they truly exist
I cry, watching the days
Can"t you see I"m a fool in so many ways
But to lose all my senses
That is just so typically me
Baby, oh

:Chorus:
Oops!...I did it again
I played with your heart, got lost in the game
Oh baby, baby
Oops!...You think I"m in love
That I"m sent from above
I"m not that innocent

Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah
Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah

"All aboard"
"Britney, before you go, there"s something I want you to have"
"Oh, it"s beautiful, but wait a minute, isn"t this...?"
"Yeah, yes it is"
"But I thought the old lady dropped it into the ocean in the end"
"Well baby, I went down and got it for you"
"Oh, you shouldn"t have"

Oops!...I did it again to your heart
Got lost in this game, oh baby
Oops!...You think that I"m sent from above
I"m not that innocent

NW Libdemology: Rochdale Lib Dems Seem Proud of Their Libels

It was around a week ago now, on the eve of the Oldham East and Saddleworth by-election, fought over scurrilous leafletry and in which Tim Farron claimed with no hint of irony that his party had turned their back on their unremitting filthy tactics, when your blogger of Labour Loveliness facebooked this comment which ought to have been a clue for Rochdale Lib Dems to wind in their disgraceful campaigning methods, and at least practice "sheepish" for when they were inevitably caught at it:

Lib Dems in a neighbouring constituency have shown their commitment to clean campaigning by sticking out a leaflet featuring a couple of naughty Labour ex-MPs and their Labour opponent on an equal footing. Well, there is a sneaky question mark. But it is bang to rights libel by juxtaposition.
Utterly libellous and extraordinarily put out by the Director of a local media organisation owned by the respectable Oldham Chronicle. Lib Dems in this neck of the woods are dirty as hell and all their butter wouldn't melt hypocrisy is being seen through by the people.
Elwyn Watkins placed something like 58th of 60 in a councillor laziness index produced by Rochdale Observer a couple of years ago.
He has conspired with the rest of the sick Rochdale Lib Dem crew in an allowances tithe scheme generating huge amounts
which were neither declared to the EC or triggered the required annual accounts (LOLs passim).
And he has conspired in the outrageous contrived tenancy the former Rochdale MP Paul Rowen had in renting using tax payers' money from a Lib Dem organisation at an "independent" rent set by one of that organisation's Directors. The local party and their John Bull printing soc also tenants (also LOLs passim).
Cleaning up politics? Elwyn Watkins is a lazy disgrace from a local party who don't have the first idea about honesty and clean campaigning.

Other points to look out for on this gutter snipe leaflet. The responsible Lib Dem councillor quotes a "Local resident" who is actually his partner, and also quotes a rightly maligned publication which (a) has often seemed little more than a propaganda and defamation machine for Rochdale Lib Dems and which donated via main man Malcolm Bad Boy Porn-O to Paul Rowen's failed campaign, and (b) that is his own direct employer, and (c) of which he is a Company Director. And this Lib Dem councillor - Keith Swift - has been defending this "Guilty" libel over and over and over again on BBC and commercial radio, BBC TV and (for publication tomorrow) the inkies. Keep digging you great fool Keith!

I imagine that steps towards legal action are imminent if not already underway. The Lib Dems nationally are said to weighing in with talk - would you believe a single word (or three letter acronym: VAT, EMA, FJF) Clegg's sidemen say these days? - of an enquiry. Simon Danczuk and Rochdale Labour should settle for the title deeds of 144-146 Drake Street, knock it down, and finally banish the very bad smell that has been drifting over the Town since Cyril Smith were a wee scrawner rifling in the bins for bacon rinds in the ginnels of Spotland.

FOOTNOTE: Needless to say Mr Swift's handiwork is also chock full of all the usual lib Dems lies about the economy and the cuts and the pupil premium and all that.

Elwyn Watkins: Miserable, Lazy, Stay Away Rochdale Councillor

Dateline June 2009: Rochdale Observer name and shame Elwyn Watkins for attending only nine of a more generally representative 35 or so, with the high achievers touching 68. Elwyn received between £7,000 and £15,000 a year over his last couple of terms as a councillor but appears to think that this absolutely shocking work rate fits him to be the next MP for Oldham East and Saddleworth.

I have no idea why Phil Woolas didn't concentrate on this killer statistic instead of some of the other attack lines. This is damning. Table in larger size below. Click to enlarge further.