You say tomato, I say health scare

Another year, another health scare. And the usual over-reaction and hysteria. When will people get a sense of perspective?




A very small number of people have fallen ill, and an even smaller number have died, from e-coli poisoning. Man the barricades and reach for your tin hats, the end of the world is nigh. We're doomed I tell you - doomed!

AV or not to AV - that is the question

I always know when a campaign is fishy when I get unsolicited mail from actors or TV 'personalities' telling me what I ought to do. Just recently I received some junk mail (in the truest sense of the word) telling me to vote 'yes' in the AV referendum. The arguments advanced were simplistic and threadbare, not because they necessarily are so but because almost all the space on the leaflet was given to photos of  'celebrities' endorsing the campaign: Steven Fry, Colin Firth, Helen Mirren and Benjamin Zephaniah amongst them. A ship of fools if ever there was one.

Ed Milliband's real speech at the TUC march

Comrades -
It is truly an honour and a privilege to be standing here in front of you all. A privilege for you, that is. For I won't actually be joining in your march. That would be too embarrassing for me.

Yet it's good to be amongst friends. My own MPs didn't actually elect me, you see, but you - the trade unions - put me where I am today. So I know who my real friends are! I owe you, and we both know it. So this is how I'm going to pay you back: with words, platitudes, and the total absence of alternative spending plans. But I know you will forgive me!

There's no such thing as humanitarian war

The UN Security Council authorised 'all necessary means' to protect civilians in Libya from Colonel Gadaffi's forces. Don't let's kid ourselves, this is not just about patrolling airspace. The UN Security Council has voted for WAR.

Labour have got lucky

Some guys have all the luck. And some parties have it too. And, despite being the progenitors of the worst financial mess in living memory, Labour have actually had more luck with the timing of economic cycles than the Conservatives.

My travel guide to Prague

Prague has a bit of everything - history, culture, food and drink and although not as cheap as in the 1990s is still relatively good value......

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Channel 4's report on Local Councils efforts to save money

Having just watched today's Channel 4 News article on how local councils are taking different approaches towards the cuts demanded of them, it's pretty clear that some frontline services to the public can be safeguarded if only councils make the right choices.