Labourhome - Back to the roots...

[Blogs] SELL BANK BAILOUT BONDS TO ISA SAVERS AT 7%

2009-01-07T17:40:37-05:00

Is a Savers Selling Market the bailed out banks are paying the government 12%. Why not sell this lone bonds to ISA savers at 7%.THE BANKS would get low cost capital and savers would have better savings rates. IF the government garanteed the saving bonds of ISA savers, this would be cheep sourse of capital to the banks. Free the savings market so that savers have achoice. Why should the government get 12% lending to the banks when the robbed saver get 1% or less.

[Blogs] Lib Dems call for restraint... of other Lib Dems

2009-01-07T16:15:58-05:00

Nick Clegg has apparently said Councils need to show ‘more restraint’ in taking people to court when they are late paying their Council tax. All this sounds very right and proper, and in fact chimes with many stories I’ve heard in Southampton of the Council being overly aggressive in threatening vulnerable people with court action. The problem is, these stories started after the job of collecting Council tax was contracted out… by the Liberal Democrats.

Council Tax collection in Southampton is now under the responsibility of Capita, which was brought in to run most of the Council’s ‘back room’ office functions as a result of a joint vote by Conservative and the Lib Dem Councillors in 2007. Since taking over, Capita has introduced a policy of automatically sending out letters threatening court action any time someone is late with even one council tax payment- including to all the little old ladies who don’t pay their Council Tax by direct debit and so are sometimes a day late.

Two things are interesting here. First, of course we shouldn’t be surprised by the characteristic hypocrisy of the national Lib Dems calling for councils to show restraint on debt collections while locally they actively pursue threatening debt collection policies.

But I’m also interested in what this means for real localism in Lib Dem politics. For years the Lib Dems have claimed to be the party arguing for greater autonomy for local government (which incidentally is a crock, as whatever else you think of it, a local income tax would make councils completely reliant on central government to collect their tax revenues, with all that this implies for future independence). But you cannot advocate local autonomy on a Monday and then issue dictats on how local government should be running its offices on a Tuesday.

Unless, of course, you have no aspirations of being a serious and coherent political party, and you’re just really desperate for attention.

[Blogs] The Ealing Ghost Bus

2009-01-07T11:35:35-05:00

This is an extraordinary tale...

I suspect we can all think of better uses for £500 per day - even if it is just burning it to stay warm in the current cold snap.

[Blogs] Prof. Avi Shlaim condemns Israel over Gaza

2009-01-07T07:41:24-05:00

There are some writings that are able to crystalise an issue with devastating clarity. Professor Avi Shlaim, Oxford Professor of International Relations, has written such an article in today's Guardian.

I have not read a better, clearer analysis of the 40-year background to, as he says, 'Israel's insane offensive against Gaza' which 'seems to follow the logic of an eye for an eyelash.'

Professor Shlaim's analysis and condemnation of Israel's treatment of the Palestinian territories will not be easily dismissed, coming from a distinguised academic who 'served loyally in the Israeli army in the mid-1960s and who has never questioned the legitimacy of the state of Israel within its pre-1967 borders.'

Nor does Professor Shlaim exempt Hamas from criticism for 'resorting to the weapon of the weak - terror.' But the bulk of the article is a devastating critique of Israeli policy towards Palestine over four decades, with Gaza being 'not simply a case of economic under-development, but a uniquely cruel case of deliberate de-development.'

He outlines Israel's cynical undermining of the peace process - 'Land grabbing and peace-making are simply incompatible. Israel had a choice and it chose land over peace.' He describes Israel's divide and rule policies, intially supporting the nascent Hamas in the late 1980s 'in order to weaken Fatah.' Professor Shlaim refers to the 'brutality of Israel's soldiers' which is 'fully matched by the mendacity of its spokesmen.' In essence, he says 'their propaganda is a pack of lies.'

Finally he concludes:

'This brief review of Israel's record over the past four decades makes it difficult to resist the conclusion that it has become a rogue state with "an utterly unscrupulous set of leaders". A rogue state habitually violates international law, possesses weapons of mass destruction and practises terrorism - the use of violence against civilians for political purposes. Israel fulfils all of these three criteria; the cap fits and it must wear it. Israel's real aim is not peaceful coexistence with its Palestinian neighbours but military domination. It keeps compounding the mistakes of the past with new and more disastrous ones. Politicians, like everyone else, are of course free to repeat the lies and mistakes of the past. But it is not mandatory to do so.'

[Blogs] Blogging sensation !! Guido Fawkes fearlessly attacks Tory "Nanny-Gate" State.

2009-01-07T04:40:42-05:00

At last Fido Barks up both trees with equal fearless ferocity. Whatever you do, make sure you do not miss this historic post. At the last count it generated 226 comments.Visit Guido Fawkes

[Blogs] The boy George, Ken Clarke and a Jimmy Hill moment

2009-01-06T18:47:43-05:00

The rumours are true. Ken Clarke is coming back to shadow Peter Mandelson. And, would you believe it, it was all the brilliant idea of that strategic genius George Osborne himself! So let's not be childish about this ...

Many years ago, at school, the smart sarcastic thing was to scratch your chin and make references to Jimmy Hill "itchy chin" and "chinny reckon" if somebody was being just a little implausible.

Now that is a little bit 'playground' for such an esteemed public figure as the Shadow Chancellor, to say nothing of an ancient serious think-tank, but for some unfathomable reason, that image just flashed into my mind when I saw this this Telegraph news report, which effectively confirms that Ken Clarke is coming back.

And what do you know, but it was the Boy George's idea all along ... What an Osborne pushes for Ken Clarke's return fantabulous surprise.

Some believed that Mr Osborne, the Shadow Chancellor, would be against Mr Clarke's return as it would undermine him.

However, The Daily Telegraph has learnt that contrary to those reports, Mr Osborne has been actively lobbying for his return. He has told friends that he works well with Mr Clarke and values his advice.

One friend of Mr Osborne's said: "George has been talking to Ken about his return and Ken has been very supportive of George. The two get on very well and George would not have a problem with him coming back - in fact is pushing for it."

Ooh. Itchy, itchy chin.

That's better.

Cross-posted from http://www.nextleft.org/

[Blogs] Iceland considers taking Britain to European Court of Human Rights

2009-01-06T18:00:18-05:00

The problem with some laws is not what is said on the statute book but how they are applied. Over recent years, we have seen many occasions where the police and the CPS, by their practice, have stretched the laws far beyond that which Parliament had intended. I wonder when Parliamentarians were debating the anti-terrorism legislation they ever foresaw the possibility of being taken to court by Iceland!