Category: politics

In the UK we’re used to seeing politicians doing all they can to avoid answering a tricky question when being interviewed. I’m sure it’s the same all over the world. But I don’t think I’ve ever seen it on the scale of yesterday’s White House press conference about Dubya’s military record. There aren’t actually any… Continue reading Just Answer The Bloody Question

All this discussion about university tuition fees is of more than academic(!) interest to me. My step-daughter is currently doing the first year of her A levels and has every intention of going on to university after that. Whilst, of course, there’s no question of her not being able to go, we’d obviously be happier… Continue reading University Fees

When you’re looking for a political consultation web site it’s important to get the URL just right. Two of the following sites take you to that nice Mr Blair’s Labour Party site where they closely control what you can read. The other two don’t. bigconversation.org bigconversation.org.uk thebigconversation.org thebigconversation.org.uk

Ever wondered how your MP has voted in Parliament? Well now you can find out. publicwhip.org.uk have extracted the records from the online version of Hansard back to the start of the 1997 session and put them all into a database which you can query. For example, I now know that my MP has voted… Continue reading Public Whip

It seems that Michael Howard has apologised for his part in the Poll Tax. It’s a start I suppose, but personally I won’t be happy until Thatcher has been made to travel every road in the UK on her hands and knees apologising to everyone she meets.

Marcus McLaurin was waiting in line to go to recess on November 11 at Ernest Gallet Elementary School when a classmate asked him about his mother and father. He responded that he didn’t have a mother and father; instead he has two mothers. When the other child asked why, Marcus told him that it was… Continue reading Homophobic Fuckwittage

Some ten to fifteen years ago the Conservative party was in power in the UK and to them the free market was king. It would solve all consumer problems, give us better services across the board and make everything cheaper. One of their biggest projects was to turn our nationally owned railway service into a… Continue reading Railway Rant

David Blunkett writes in today’s Guardian that he is not King Herod which, of course, clears up the confusion in many people’s minds. For those of you who don’t know much christian mythology, Herod ruled parts of the Middle East as a puppet king under the Romans at about the start of the first century… Continue reading Blunkett is “Not King Herod”

Someone thought that it would be a good idea to offer Benjamin Zephaniah an OBE. Unsurprisingly, he has turned it down. In today’s Guardian he explains his reasons. The UK needs more people like him.

[posting delayed by some days due to server outage] I’ve invented a conspiracy theory. I reckon this telephone conversation took place some time on Friday. “Hello?” “Sophie, hello, it’s Philip, listen the Family needs a favour. When’s your baby due?” “In about a month. Why?” “Damn. Too far away. Ah well, that needn’t matter. It… Continue reading Inventing Conspiracy Theories