MP's expenses

I'm bored to death with this topic. It is open to abuse just as much as any other system like this is open to abuse....

I would suggest that we pay MP's a decent professional London wage, that MP's should then be expected to have one main home either in London or the constituency, and a flat in either as well. London MP's do not need two homes and so should be paid slightly less. MP's in grace-and-favour accommodation should also have a reduced salary.

The current system is bringing politics into disrepute.

I must be doing something right....

Decided to reply to Mad Mel's rantings in the Daily Liar (if you must read, try http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-1165719/MELANIE-PHILIPS-When-bishop-leave-Church-England-stand-Christians-hope-left-Britain.html )

And my comment has attracted no less than 104 disapproving voices! That's over 40 ahead of anyone else!

What shame it would be to think of the loony conservatives and reactionaries who lap up Phillips' arrant nonsense agreeing with me....

Anyway, good to see the dreaded Nazi-Rally step down - someone more vain or self-important would be hard to imagine.

Hate speech

I find it rather ridiculous that the almost irrelevant topic of jokes appears to have been the focus of this debate.

I also note that in the commons debate, the so-called 'left-wing' MP David Taylor, led the anti-gay lobby

However, the amendment was defeated and quite right too....and if it stops the terminally unfunny Rowan Atkinson telling any more jokes, all the better! But that isn't what the amendment is about. It should be possible to express a view without being offensive.

Forner Hitler Youth member makes ridiculous comment about condom use....l

The sheer stupidity of Ratfinger continues to make Vatican plc appear even more ridiculous. It is quite obvious to everyone that condom use and promotion of safer sex is part of the strategy to combat HIV. Even in countries where conservative Christian religionism is strong, there is no evidence of widespread abstention.

Condoms are important for this reason, and also to combat population growth, also something Vatican plc and its mistaken actions encourage.

Welfare 'Reform' (Abolition) Bill: the shame of Labour

No left-of-centre party should even consider bringing in legislation such as the Welfare Reform Bill.

These are the MP's who voted against it

Just 30 Labour MP's voted against workfare.

Profoundly depressing.

Whatever this government is, I cannot conceive it to be what I recognise as 'Labour'

Alexander, Danny
Baker, Norman
Barrett, John
Beith, rh Sir Alan
Brooke, Annette
Burgon, Colin LAB
Burt, Lorely
Campbell, rh Sir Menzies
Campbell, Mr. Ronnie LAB
Carmichael, Mr. Alistair
Caton, Mr. Martin LAB
Clark, Ms Katy LAB
Clegg, rh Mr. Nick
Cook, Frank LAB
Corbyn, Jeremy LAB
Cousins, Jim LAB
Davey, Mr. Edward
Davies, Mr. Dai
Dobson, rh Frank LAB
Drew, Mr. David LAB
Farron, Tim
Flynn, Paul LAB
Foster, Mr. Don
George, Andrew
Gibson, Dr. Ian LAB
Gidley, Sandra
Godsiff, Mr. Roger LAB
Goldsworthy, Julia
Grogan, Mr. John LAB
Harris, Dr. Evan
Harvey, Nick
Havard, Mr. Dai LAB
Heath, Mr. David
Hemming, John
Hoey, Kate LAB
Holmes, Paul
Horwood, Martin
Howarth, David
Huhne, Chris
Hunter, Mark
Iddon, Dr. Brian LAB
Jones, Lynne LAB
Kennedy, rh Mr. Charles
Kilfoyle, Mr. Peter LAB
Kramer, Susan
Lamb, Norman
Laws, Mr. David
Leech, Mr. John
Llwyd, Mr. Elfyn
Martlew, Mr. Eric LAB
Mason, John
McDonnell, John LAB

McFall, rh John LAB
Mitchell, Mr. Austin LAB
Moore, Mr. Michael
Mulholland, Greg
Oaten, Mr. Mark
Prentice, Mr. Gordon LAB
Price, Adam
Reid, Mr. Alan
Rennie, Willie
Riordan, Mrs. Linda LAB
Rogerson, Dan
Rowen, Paul
Russell, Bob
Sanders, Mr. Adrian
Simpson, Alan LAB
Skinner, Mr. Dennis LAB
Smith, Sir Robert
Stunell, Andrew
Taylor, David LAB
Taylor, Dr. Richard
Teather, Sarah
Truswell, Mr. Paul
Wareing, Mr. Robert N.
Webb, Steve
Weir, Mr. Mike
Williams, Hywel
Williams, Mark
Williams, Mr. Roger
Williams, Stephen
Willott, Jenny
Wishart, Pete
Wood, Mike LAB
Younger-Ross, Richard
Tellers for the Ayes:

Mr. Neil Gerrard LAB and
Kelvin Hopkins LAB

Larkin was right

I have been following the tale of Julie Myerson and her decision to write a book about throwing her son out of the house because of his drug use
Now, we have her husband, former Labour councillor and journalist Jonathan, putting in his spoke
http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2009/mar/10/cannabis-drug-abuse

I'm very cynical about this entire episode. First, there is something quite unpleasant about writing about one's own family under one's own name, without asking permission. Second, it is clear that the Myerson's have joined the anti-cannabis crusade. Understandable considering the experience they had, but not at all the reaction everyone has to the drug. Some do, some don't.

But surely the main point is that they should wish to build bridges with their son - and this will finish off that possibility for good. It appears to me that what has happened here is that a son has disappointed by not going down the path they had hoped and they are now looking for reasons as to why. The incompatibility of their parenting styles and the son's preferences may be far more relevant than the use of cannabis! Save us from pushy parents

I felt this was perhaps the most appropriate reaction of all

They fuck you up, your mum and dad.
They may not mean to, but they do.
They fill you with the faults they had
And add some extra, just for you.

But they were fucked up in their turn
By fools in old-style hats and coats,
Who half the time were soppy-stern
And half at one another's throats.

Man hands on misery to man.
It deepens like a coastal shelf.
Get out as early as you can,
And don't have any kids yourself.

Stem cell research

It is always good when medical advance means that debilitating disease can be tackled. In this light, I welcome the lifting of state funding bans on US research by President Obama. This does not mean that other aspects of stem cell research should not continue which would not use embryonic material, but it is too early to abandon the use of embryos entirely.

Naturally, the right-wing religionists are having kittens at the fact that their values are no longer 'master'. They would prefer to see people die in agony than use a clump of cells hardly visible to the naked eye to find cures. That is truly immoral.

Fred Goodwin

Yet another good reason to nationalise the banks. The money should be withdrawn - and retrospective legislation introduced if necessary. The next step is to ban all bonuses for any reason. They are open to corruption.

But of course, despite its bleating, the Government is still cosying up to the City. They seem to have no inbuilt distaste for these sort of people and their workings and beliefs. Why? They certainly should have, if they claim to be even remotely left-of-centre.

The economy and all that, more social workers, and more Vatican plc

I haven't been blogging much about this issue and do not intend to start making it a regular occurrence. To be honest, I don't know enough about it to make very many useful contributions, and it appears patently clear that no-one really knows what is going to happen and what the solutions are.

And its really that which would be such a relief. For any of the parties to say - actually, we haven't got a bloody clue what to do but we are going to give a few things a try and see if they work. Because that really is the truth, even though they will not admit it

There was a news story in the paper yesterday regarding a young man with child abuse convictions who was placed with a family with children. Clearly, this is not an acceptable situation. But it was interesting to watch the bandwagon-jumpers. You had the 'this is as a result of PC' brigade which suggests that this was done entirely deliberately. Then the 'its all the fault of the incompetent social workers', alongside the 'sack them all, someone must be blamed'. Clearly something went wrong. But what is to be gained by fulminating until we actually know WHAT went on? Then, perhaps, some sensible suggestions can be made?

And now we have Murphy O'Connor complaining again about the fact that his church is just one of many groups who are taken into account when considering public policy. They don't have an automatic veto. For some reason he seems to think that the fact that much of the population was kept in hock to him and his fellow control-merchants in the past should give him a permanent central position in determining what happens in the UK. I do think the church can express its view - just like many other organisations. But like those others, they will have to make a case for their stance - and I think they are unaccustomed to doing so because their mindset is one of obedience to their 'truth', not rational argument. Murphy O'Connor is relatively liberal. Word has it that Ratfinger is determined to install a hardliner to do his bidding - notably to clear all gay men out of the Catholic seminaries. I cannot understand why any gay man would want to join an organisation where they cannot be open in any case, but I do think that many will have a very rough time. Fr. Gerry Proctor's appearance on Cherie Blair's programme on the future of the church displayed that their certainly are good, well meaning people within the Church, but I can't help but think they are fighting a losin g battle. Similarly, although Cherie is clearly a liberal herself - highlighting the sexism and homophobia in the church and calling for inclusion - she confused the surface level 'inclusion' of the US megachurches with genuine liberalism. Those churches may appear 'modern' but they follow a highly reactionary creed. She did not appear to be aware of what they teach, which is miles away from the liberals she interviewed on her C4 programme