The Good Friday Generation #LyraMcKee Legacy

Yesterday one of the quotes from Lyra McKee that really struck home was this:

“We were the Good Friday Agreement generation, destined to never witness the horrors of war but to reap the spoils of peace. The spoils just never seemed to reach us.”

Today on the day after she died of the gun shot wound she received on the streets of Derry we learn that two others  of that Good Friday Agreement generation have been arrested for her murder. These are three young people who should have been able to reap the spoils of peace.

Twenty one years ago after that other Good Friday they was a feeling of hope about the future for Northern Ireland. Our politicians were talking about talking responsibility for our health service, our economy, our education and all the other departments. Trust me as someone who was in the civil service either side of devolution I know the enthusiasm that local politicians had (yes even those who were opposed to the Good Friday Agreement).

But this weekend after hearing about the ages of those arrested I got thinking. Is it really because the Good Friday Agreement generation didn't really reap the spoils of peace that we know have these young people taking to arms.

We have to acknowledge that there has been some unrest in certain areas for a while. We have to look at why this has allowed to escalate.

Our politicians have to take some responsibility, only last week Arlene Foster again used the scare story that unionists have to vote DUP to prevent Sinn Féin being the largest party. When our politicians still talk about us and them there is still division and not a shared future. Yesterday she was united with all the other parties standing in the Creggan at a vigil for a victim of violence in Northern Ireland.

The issues that impact the poorest in Northern Ireland whether in the Creggan or East Belfast, whether Protestant or Catholic, gay or straight have been put on hold for over 2 years now. Decisions that cannot be made without a Minister are not being made. The spoils of peace are at a standstill. Partially this is down to the two largest parties still posturing with us and them redlines.

Twenty one years on from the people of Northern Ireland voting to allow their politicians to take back control of our future. Twenty one years on from us trusting them to be able to share that power they are failing to act in our interests. At the moment there is too much playing at party politics rather that dealing with the real politics and sadly here in Northern Ireland too often that means making everything into a green or orange issue. If you are into consensus politics and agree with something that one side suggests you are even accused of the worst excesses of them uns.

This is not healthy, we need to step away from all of this name calling and work on making things better for the generation that didn't experience the horrors of war, we need to be able to provide with the opportunity to enjoy the spoils of peace.

Red, White and Blue Brexit bad for Northern Ireland

Here in the land that is base for HBO's Game of Thrones the talk of a Red, White and Blue Brexit as first described by Theresa May and increasingly mentioned by others since is not universally going down well. Let me explain why (in the language that GoT fans will find familiar).

Queen Arlene, First of Her Name surveys her Kingdom of the North from her White Keep (Parliament Buildings, Stormont). She was very much in favour of Brexit and her sigil is St. Edward's Crown on a background of Red, White and Blue. However, outside the gates of the keep the people however are not as much in agreement of Brexit as Arlene and her small (well not so small) council.

Prince Martin is meant to be a co-regent with Queen Arlene. His house's ancient sigil was an armalite and a ballot box on a background of Green, White and Gold, but now it is just the ballot box though some banners still show a shadowy figure of the armalite. He is opposed to Brexit and the mention of it as being Red, White and Blue is not going down well with his bannermen who largely were also opposed to Brexit.

Meanwhile in Kings Landing, Queen Theresa, First of Her Name, Queen of the Four Kingdoms and her small council have largely ignored that the Kingdom of the North has a large border with Europeros with which her four Kingdoms are looking to depart. There are many workers from the southern part of the island that the Kingdom of the North shares with Europeros. There leader King Michael, First of his name, also known by some as the Imp, or Leprechaun because of his diminutive stature and his hand Enda are very much in favour of Europeros are a little offended that Queen Theresa is asking them to control movement of Europeros citizens entering their territory as they have not signed up for Brexit but have signed up for the freedom of movement of Europeros citizens both into and out of their nation.

There has been a peace in the Kingdom of the North for only 3 decades and even then at times it has been tense. Talking up Brexit as being an issue that is Red, White and Blue may stir up some of the sleeping armies of the old days. Continuing to wrap this argument is patriotism based on symbols which still cause dispute in the Kingdom of the North contravenes the treaty that the Kingdom of the North was allowed a degree of autonomy over its own affairs. It is a part of the Four Kingdoms that allows civilians to follow in the Red, White and Blue sigil, or the Green, White and Gold one, or both if they chose too. Fealty is not a black and white matter, nor should it be hyped up in full colour.

Be warned those in Kingslanding (Westminster in this tale) not all the people of the Four Kingdom (United Kingdom) want to hear talk of Red, White and Blue Brexit. Here in the Kingdom of the North (Northern Ireland) some of us have been campaigned for safe and open spaces where everyone can gather. Your painting of Brexit as being a matter of Red, White and Blue while talking to little Englanders, is not so great to the fringes Northern Ireland and indeed Scotland.

Twelve 'lessons' from Northern Ireland politics in 2012

Here are twelve things I learnt about politics in Northern Ireland this year

1. UUP play follow the leader unfortunately as neither Lord Maginnis, David McNarry, John McCallister or Basil McCrea et al realised and showed at various times it wasn't their own leader but the leader of the DUP.

2. Petitions of Concern don't need to be about the groups involved the petition of concern was designed for the bilateral differences in Northern Irish society nationalist v unionist. But in October the DUP used one to effectively veto equal marriage. Surely a petition of concern should be for the group affected and the other side; in this case the LGBT MLAs, who number zero, against the rest.

3. It's not all about the economy at least not when the flag is only going to be flown on designated days. Many businesses have been crying out for weeks that the protests are affecting business. Yet there are mixed messages from unionist MLAs a suspension of protests, a revisit of the issue at Stormont, a right to peaceful protest, elected representatives joining the protests.

4. Catholic MLAs are more gay friendly while the LGBT community is a mix of unionist, nationalist and other you'd think that all the LGBT people voted nationalist or other. When it comes to matters of LGBT rights in Northern with only a few noticeable exceptions all questions raised and motions bought are from either Sinn Féin, SDLP, Alliance or the Greens. On the first vote on a home grown motion on LGBT issues only 3 Unionist MLAs voted in favour. Is homophobia the real new sectarianism?

5. The DUP is only Democratic when it goes their way with the vote on flags in Belfast City Council the Democratic Unionist Party said it was an afront and that the democratic vote had to be turned around as soon as possible.

6. When Edwin Poots says he has come to a decision he really hasn't this year, for a second time, the DUP's health minister said he had come to a decision on the blood ban here in Northern Ireland. But when I lodged a repeat freedom of information request I am told that yet again he had not made a final decision, but some of my points were answered. He's also taking legal action to prevent same-sex couples adopting.

7. Sometimes the nationalists are more pro-Union than the unionists yeah on certain issues like the blood ban, equal marriage and maybe even a women's right to choose the nationalists are more likely to argue for the same policy as the rest of the UK, while the unionists argue for an all-Ireland approach!

8. I'm not sure what the D in DUP stands for it appears to not stand for Democratic as I said above. But it also seems to not stand for dialogue or debate. You can ask members of other parties things and criticise them and they will answer and not block or unfriend you. The DUP seem to not even be prepared to answer or acknowledge that people have written to them about this from the other side of the argument. One who I'm sort of related to by marriage even blanked me in the restaurant at Stormont over an issue.

9. Apparently standing up for equality is dancing to a republican tune yes seriously issues such as equal marriage are for self-interest and promotion of Sinn Féin and not about genuine equality issues, so said UUP leader Mike Nesbitt.

10. We're anti-abortion but also anti-extending adoption yeah there is a dichotomy from those who say that abortion, even in the case of a rape victim, is wrong and should go full term while also failing to extent adoption to same-sex couples to help ease the back log. Even though the high court has declared the ban illegal some are not for turning.

11. Playing Beach Boys classics is OK outside Catholic Churches no matter how those playing it have adapted the lyrics for sectarian purposes. Of course this opinion is only that of the Loyal Orders, Unionist politicians and not that of the Parades Commission, worshipers at said church and local residents.

12. By attending each others' sports we live in a shared society yeah it appears to be the limit of ambitions. Turning up to a GAA match seems to the be the limit of a shared society. Integrating housing, education, dealing with the contentious issues of flags and symbols, recognising the LGBT community are all parts of a shared society that are constantly being swept under the carpet. So we continue to create divides from birth in our young people inspired by out politicians. Wonder if the publication of the Cohesion, Sharing and Intergration strategy will do anything to address the tough issues or just try to manage and referee division as the draft did.

Let Tories without sin cast the first wreath

Please also read this update with a response from Mark Garnier on this issue.

There had been a lot of outrage from Tories about what a wreath of remembrance apparently laid by a Lib Dem with the logo of the party in the middle. Earlier when this outrage started I did a quick google search and screen grab.

As you can see it was from the website of Mark Garnier Conservative MP for Wyre Valley. If you look in the middle of his wreath you can make out a logo. Here is the close up.

The picture also included John Holden the Conservative Mayor of Kidderminster Council and his fellow Mitton Ward Conservative Councillor Michael Salter.

Once I raised this picture with some high profile Tories it has since been removed from the Tory MP's website.

I don't approve of any party using the wreath they lay as a party political statement. I understand that they are they to lay wreathes on behalf of all the constituents that have died in war and are there as civic leaders in our communities. But the politicising of the laying of wreathes this year has added a sour taste to what today should be; a day of remembrance. But it appears that no party is totally blameless, so led us learn the lesson for the next act of remembrance.

Update Monday 16:20 I have just been contacted by Mark Garnier's office who have informed me that this was a picture from 2009 when he was merely the Parliamentary Spokesperson and not the MP. I have offered him a right of reply which I will publish here as soon as I have received it.

Update 19:00 I have received the email and decided to write it into a separate blog post.

Cameron is Davidson's Prime Minister not her boss

Ruth Davidson, new leader of the Scottish Conservatives

The BBC in talking about the new leader of Scottish Conservatives in a different way to some of the tabloids, for more on that see Scottish Liberal. What they have picked up on is that Ruth Davidson under the new structure of the Conservative Party is a colleague of David Cameron with a final say on what goes on in Scotland.

You see the thing is that the Scottish Conservatives like Scottish Labour are both going to be lead by a leader of the party overall in Scotland and not have a leader of their MSPs as previously. Or to put it in a Lib Dem sort of way some sort of federalism. I'm not sure if the same rules are being brought into the Conservatives and Labour parties in Wales but it has happened in Scotland. Surely this move can't be solely down to the fact that any party that wasn't the SNP did poorly in the Scottish Parliament elections in May.

The Liberal Democrats have always operated on a federal format with leaders and policy making for Scotland and Wales devolved to those national conferences and party members. Of course unlike the Tories and Labour that policy making is further devolved to the conference reps themselves who get to vote on the policies. Conservatives and Labour are merely handing over the decision making and policy differences to the leaderships, heaven forbid if they started to once again trust the members of their party to actually make any real decisions that actually affect the real people they see around them all the time without being told just what they need from the Westminster 'experts'.

However, it is a step that Scottish politics will it seems now be decided by the Scottish parties (in whatever way they allow this to happen). It may put a bit of a kibosh to the SNP talking about the Westminster parties when all of them can clearly point to policies that differ from Westminster to talk into account Scottish needs and situations.

It's Friday...so two centenaries and someone turning fifty

There are a number of centenaries today.

The first is the man who said these words before adding his maniacal laugh

The foulest stench is in the air

The funk of forty thousand years

And grizzly ghouls from every tomb

Are closing in to seal your doom

And though you fight to stay alive

Your body starts to shiver

For no mere mortal can resist

The evil of the thriller

Yes, Vincent Price was an unlikely rapper but that is just what he did on Michael Jackson's Thriller. But he had a film career of over 50 years making his name in the horror genre. Here is a tribute to his career, set to the song he had no small part in making memorable.



The man who lost to Richard Nixon in 1968 was Vice President Hubert H. Humphrey, who was over his father's drug store in Wallace, South Dakota 100 years ago today. He is the only second generation Norwegian (on his mother's side) to have served as either PotUS or VeeP. Here is his acceptance speech for nomination to be Johnson's running mate in the 1964 election.





Finally, no she's not 100 years old, but Peri Gilpin the actress who played Roz Doyle in Frazier is half way there today. Many happy returns, so to celebrate here is a montage of Roz moments.

"Compelling" but Still Ongoing

Alistair Campbell is to appear just up the road from the Yes! to Fairer Votes offices in Belfast today to speak to students at Queens about his new book People and Power. Speaking in today's Belfast Telegraph he says Northern Ireland’s peace process was "one of the most compelling" issues of his Downing Street career.

Whilst for Alistair it is compelling for those of us who are living with the new threats of security alerts all over the province in recent days it is still ongoing. Admittedly what Campbell's boss, Tony Blair, enabled here in Northern Ireland has taken us a great distance, the people are wanting to live in a shared present (something that some of our political class have yet to realise) but there are still some resisting this is a violent way.

Some people only know objection as a armed conflict here. They seem unable to articulate their argument in a sensible non-threatening way. Others are still so obsessed with the past that they cannot look beyond events and actions in the past and work with those whom they historically were opposed to to move things forward.

Of course as in 1998 the people are ahead of some of the politicians once again. The recent Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister (OFMDFM) draft programme for Cohesion, Sharing and Integration was widely slated for being a management of division and not a programme to eradicate it. The fact that it only focused on sectarianism and racism and ignored other 'excluded' communities within Northern Ireland, in fact putting those other needs unto a back burner, showed a lack of vision.

There is plenty of talk about a 'shared future' in Northern Ireland but what the people want is a shared here and now, a shared present. So while the work of Tony Blair for Northern Ireland may well have been compelling to those who witnessed it firsthand it is as yet unfinished. It is up to the politicians in Northern Ireland to bring that task to such a natural conclusion. It may well be up to politicians that have yet to rise up and be counted, however what Northern Ireland needs is to be normal, not some unruly young nephew that is confined to the corner almost out of sight at parties.

First Welsh Born Prime Minister

At last the 'Land of Our Father's' wait for a Welsh born Prime Minister are over. Although I see a few people including the BBC had taken the line that Julia Gillard was the first Welsh born Prime Minister since David Lloyd George, the famous Welsh speaking Prime Minister was actually born in Manchester where his father like many Welsh men was working at that time, in the case of William George as a teacher.

Ms Gillard was born in Barry, Glamorgan in 1961 and her parents migrated to Australia on the £10 immigration ticket as they were advised that their five-year old daughter who suffered bronchopneumonia would get on better in a warmer climate.

But earlier today (during the night UK time) she replaced Kevin Rudd as leader of the Labor Party and Prime Minister of Australia. A turn-around on a carbon trading scheme and a wrangle over a controversial mining tax had led to a vote ousting Rudd on Wednesday night. She was returned unopposed like a certain other Labour leader, but unlike Gordon Brown she knows she will have to take the governing party to the polls in October. She is also the first woman to hold the office in Australia and the first foreign born PM there since Billy Hughes in 1923.

She served as Shadow Minister for Population and Immigration from 2001-3 and Shadow Minister for Health from 2003-6 before becoming the Deputy leader of the opposition on a ticket with Rudd in 2006, again an election she won unopposed as Jenny Mackline the outgoing leader's deputy stood down in that contest when Rudd beat Kim Beazley in the contest.

Red magazine have named their top 20 women under 30 and includes three politicians one from each of the three main parties. From left to right they are Maryam Khan Labour PPC for Bury North, Jo Swinson Lib Dem MP for East Dunbartonshire and Chloe Smith Conservative MP for Norwich North.

Now I'm not a regular reader of Red Magazine but they did send me an email promoting their March issue in which the full list of 20 is discussed. I don't think Jo's use of Red in the Common's chamber while debating was the only reason she made this list.

The Etymology of the Dynamics of Politics

Helen Duffett got me thinking in a Tweet earlier. Why do we stand or run for office before we take a seat?

So I decided to look up the online etymology dictionary to see when and where the sources of the various words we use to describe the various dynamics of politics come from.

Run Meaning: to seek office in an election This appears to come from American English dating from 1826. Ironically that was the year that the second and third men (John Adams and Thomas Jefferson) who ran, though obviously didn't use that term etymologically speaking, successfully for President of the United States died on the 4th July. That lead to the often erroneously quoted last words of Adams 'Jefferson survives' despite the other passing 4 hours before. Long before the days of 24 hour news blasting from every room in the Presidential and former Presidential abodes.

Standfor Meaning represent, be in place of This would appear to be the derivation of standing. It comes from 1567 it would be the represent the area or (in the case of a rotten borough) the patron you represent. It was also the year that the infant James VI (later James I of the United Kingdom) was crowned King of the Scots following his mother Mary's imprisonment initially at Lochleven Castle.

Therefore as you can see stand is more of a English expression while run is a young-ish upstart Americanism though they are both interchangeable despite the former being a dynamic word and the second a static. Maybe that speaks something of the infant nation seeking to be set apart from the former colonial power.

Seat Meaning place in a parliament or other legislative body Stems from 1774, the last month of 1773 of course saw the Boston Tea Party when there was outrage from the Colony of America about British imposed taxation. Ironically of course there is only sitting room for 427 of the 646 successful candidates seeking a seat in the House of Commons.

You can tell that we are all chomping at the bit for Gordon Brown to actually call the election now can't you?

SDLP Stalwart Steps Down

Eddie McGrady has been the the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) MP for South Down since I was one of those new voters on the register with my date of birth beside me but unable to vote in the 1987 election. In that election he succeeded Enoch Powell who had moved to Northern Ireland politics after his time as the Conservative Member for Wolverhampton South West came to an end at the first 1974 election.

At the age of 74 I do not begrudge him taking his leave of Westminster at the next election. He has also been a Councillor since 1961. Rumours are that he is stepping aside so his party leader, member for the same seat in the Assembly Margaret Ritchie, who had served a time as his constituency aide, can take up his seat. In his own words she is part of the 'new dynamic' of the party he helped found in 1970, serving as the first SDLP Chairperson from 1971 to 73.

Although he is not endorsing any candidates for his succession Eddie has said:

"[The local party] have been very astute in selecting me over the years,so why should they not continue that wisdom?"

He has also served as the party's chief whip in Westminster since 1988, was elected to the 1984 Forum and served as an MLA between 1998 and 2003.

In recent elections the SDLP share of the seats has shrunk and after the last election they were jokingly dubbed the South Down and Londonderry Party and two of their three Eddie plus Mark Durkan for Foyle represented area that could almost fit the abbreviation of the party. Only Alasdair McDonnell in Belfast South prevented the Westminster party truly becoming the SDLP on geographical grounds.

As one of the members and leader of the first Northern Irish party to publicly speak out for the principle of consent over the governance of the Northern Irish people Eddie will be greatly missed as he heads into a well earned retirement.

If You Want Real Change not Mimicry

"Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery"

Is a phrase we often hear but this is how Nick Clegg follows it up writing in today's Times

"So it's a compliment of sorts that the core values of the Liberal Democrats — fairness in society, real change in politics — are now being mimicked by others.

"We are, and have shown ourselves to be, very different from the other two parties. My message to Mr Brown and Mr Cameron is simple: the Liberal Democrats are up for real change. We are not up for sale.

"Mr Brown and Mr Cameron utter fine words about reform and fairness, but their policies aren't even close to what's needed."

So before you get fooled into believing what David or Gordon tells you about how similar the Lib Dems are to either the Conservatives or Labour and waste you vote seeking change where none is due and where none will come from here are four key areas of difference that the Lib Dems not only talk about but have been talking about for years because it is who we are, as outlined by Nick in the same article.

"First: fair taxes. Our plan would mean that the first £10,000 you earn would be free of income tax. This would be paid for by taxing income and capital at the same rate, phasing out special pension subsidies for highest-rate earners, switching tax from income to pollution and introducing a mansion tax on the value of homes above £2 million.

"Second: a fair start for all our children. We will cut class sizes and provide more one-to-one tuition to children by introducing a new "pupil premium" in our schools.

"Third: a fair and sustainable economy that creates jobs. We will use the money from one year's cuts in current spending to create tens of thousands of new jobs in public transport, a national programme of home insulation and new social housing. We will be honest about where savings must be made to balance the books and we will break up the banking system.

"And finally, fair, clean and local politics. We will introduce a fair voting system, ensure that MPs can be sacked by their constituents if they break the rules, return powers to local communities and stop tax avoiders from standing for Parliament, sitting in the House of Lords or donating to political parties."

Nick says we will respect the will of the people, quite right we are democrats after all. The leaders of the other parties are hearing that the people are after change, it is the post-Obama cover all. But they don't really offer it, look at the above and compare it to what Labour are doing and what the Tories are promising.

If you really want change where does it lie? For over 21 years I've known it doesn't lie with either Labour or the Conservatives and indeed for all my adult life that has proven to be the case. They are both perfect imitators but of each other not the Liberal Democrats.

If you want change vote Liberal Democrat. The decision is in your hands.

Labour's Failure by Ommission #1010

I've already written that I couldn't see details of the Labour amendment to the Lib Dem motion on

Here is what Joan Ruddock moved as the alternative to the Lib Dem motion which Labour voted down earlier:

The Minister of State, Department of Energy and Climate Change (Joan Ruddock): I beg to move an amendment, to leave out from “House” to the end of the Question and add:

"welcomes the 10:10 campaign as a motivator of public action to cut carbon dioxide emissions through individual and collective behaviour change; recognises the value of such campaigns to build public support for action by governments to agree an ambitious, effective and fair deal at Copenhagen; further recognises the significant effort made by individuals and organisations to cut their emissions through the 10:10 campaign; supports the Climate Change Act introduced by this Government, the first such legislation in the world, and the system of carbon budgets that enables Britain to set itself on a low carbon pathway; notes that carbon budgets ensure active policies by Whitehall departments and the public sector that deliver long-term sustained emissions reductions not just in 2010 but through to 2022 and beyond; further supports the efforts of local councils to move towards local carbon budgets by signing up to the 10:10 campaign; further welcomes the allocation of up to £20 million for central Government departments to enable them to reduce further and faster carbon dioxide emissions from their operations, estate and transport; and further welcomes the cross-cutting Public Value Programme review of the low carbon potential of the public sector, which will focus on how the sector can achieve transformational financial savings through value-for-money carbon reductions."

Now there is one thing that the Lib Dem motion didn't do. It didn't supercede the relevance and importance of the Climate Change Act. Nor did it over-ride the operations of Central Government departments to reduce their own omissions.

What the Labour amendment didn't do was to include the House itself.

As Don Foster asked Ms Ruddock:

"Can [the Minister of State] explain why the amendment praises everybody else for signing up to the 10:10 campaign, and yet it refuses to allow this House to join in with it?"

Well in her response I think I found the answer:

"We know that action is required at all levels, which is why we applaud the efforts of the 10:10 campaign and encourage greater ambition and getting ordinary people involved. We also agree with 10:10 that the public sector must lead, and have put in place a raft of mechanisms to make that happen. The Liberal Democrat motion calls for all the public sector to reduce its emissions by 10 per cent. in 2010 and for the Government to produce a delivery plan by the end of this year. I regret to say that that is typical Liberal Democrat posturing. Only a party that never expects to be in government could propose a motion for a totally uncosted, unthought-through programme for a single year cut, as opposed to the sustained actions already under way to meet our carbon budgets—carbon budgets that are designed to deliver three times as much, and that were proposed by us in Committee on 18 May and agreed by the Liberal Democrats."

Wow! I just hope Lembit never has to bring to the House news that he was wrong and that a meteorite will destroy the planet earlier. I'd hate to see a similar response while a big ball hurtles through space at us quicker than anticipated.

In replying to an intervention by Jo Swinson it got even more bizarre.

"Regrettably, the hon. Lady has not been listening to what I have said. I have been making it very clear what is already under way and why signing up to the 10:10 campaign does not make sense—[HON. MEMBERS: "This House."] This House can choose to do what this House wants to do, but the Government are clearly not committing the public sector as a whole—this is what the motion seeks—to the 10:10 campaign."

Now forgive me here for looking confused here, but didn't the amendment she moved say "that carbon budgets ensure active policies by Whitehall departments and the public sector that deliver long-term sustained emissions reductions not just in 2010 but through to 2022 and beyond"? Doesn't that mean that they can influence the public sector as a whole? And didn't her motion also omit the House of Commons itself from 10:10?

So therefore the power that she wanted to claim in her opening words is now not a power she professes to not have less than 15 minutes* later. Yet the one piece of central Government she cannot possibly argue she doesn't have jurisdiction over she has chosen to omit. Maybe this is what Linda Gilfoy means by a "stronger amendment" but many people out there are shaking their heads in disbelief.

In a separate paragraph of his letter to me last night Michael Connarty wrote:

"[This motion] reminds me of the Militant in the Labour Party in the 1980's, who didn't want an improvement or progress, but only to score points against the Party for not being 'Socialist' enough. Obviously if the Opposition Motion is couched in a manner that attacks the Labour Government, which has actually done so much to prioritise reversal of Climate Change, I will vote against such a motion, even if is attempting to hijack the 10:10 campaign."

Now forgive me Michael for again looking confused. From reading and watching the debate the only way the motion was couched as an attack on the Labour Government appeared to be by the Labour Government. I'm sure my MP knows me well enough to know that I have actively looked for improvement and progress on Climate Change including being in at the outset of Linlithgow Climate Challenge. Rather than hijacking the 10:10 campaign the motion was seeking to endorse it an expand its reach.

Having seen the result I'm sure Michael stood in the No lobby (I await confirmation from Hansard). But I hope that when he stood there 'point scoring' that he was working out how to face the many who have already made great steps across the constituency to combat their personal and civic carbon footprint whom he has let down today.

PS Ironically one Labour group in Westminster is not scared to commit themselves to 10:10 today.

UPDATE: No confirmed that Michael Connarty voted no. As did three of Labour's Edinburgh MPs Alistair Darling, Nigel Griffiths and Mark Lazarowicz, plus Falkirk's Eric Joyce.

* I'll get more detailed timing when the official full record is reported tomorrow.

Wikio MacBlogopsphere Rankings October

Things are really heating up in the October Wikio Political Blog Rankings with the Scottish Blogs especially in the midfield SNP Tactical Voting has climbed 6 places to enter the top 40 for the first time at 40, hot on his heels is Caron's Musings climbing 20 to 41, Subrosa has climbed but just one spot to 42, and fighting to keep up is me at 47 up 5. Is it possible that the other three of us could join Jeff in the top 40 next month?

With Tom Harris at 6 and the Cute Greek Baby at 16 that is 6 of the top 50 from Scotland a credible 12% so the Scots are punching above their weight. The full list of the Scottish Blogs in the top 100 is below, last month's ran in brackets.

Lower Down James of the Two Doctors storms into the top 100 at 82 overtaking some of last months new entries. However, Amused Cynicism has dropped out of the hot 100.

1. Tom Harris MP And another Thing... 6 (6)

2. Mr Eugenides 16 (15)

3. SNP Tactical Voting 40 (46)

4. Caron's Musings 41 (61)

5. Subrosa 42 (43)

6. Stephen's Linlithgow Journal 47 (52)
7. Ranting Rab 81 (115)

8. Two Doctors 82 (102)

9. Yapping Yousuf 83 (96)

10. Malc in the Burgh 91 (100)

Of course there is also Alex Massie's Spectator Blog at number 45, have we been ignoring him, does he count as being Scottish? Opinions please?

Update: Malc pointed out Ranting Rab another new entry I'd overlooked in going down the list looking for familiar names.

(I'll add all the links later when I have time)

The Liberal Moment

"Nick Clegg’s suggesting that his party can lead the Left seems presumptuous. Yet his is right to make it and has made it in the right way."

So says the lead editorial comment in this morning’s Times. It comes on the day that Nick launches his pamphlet The Liberal Moment with Demos as well as writing an article in the Times outlying his themes.

It opens with the questions:

"Are you one of the millions who turned to new Labour in 1997? Were you excited by the progressive promise? Did you believe that the ideals of fairness, social mobility, sustainability, civil rights and internationalism would finally have their day?"

Going on to say then:

"If so, you face a real dilemma. The choice between a fading exhausted Labour Government and the ideologically barred Conservatives."

The pamphlet and the article both look at the shifting sands of progressive politics. It was about a century ago that the Liberal party started to lose that all out progressive nature of British politics. The outcome was the emergence of the current Labour vs. Conservative struggle in the intervening years. Nick acknowledges that our predecessors then deserved to lose but then looks at the current situation.

The progressive party of the last 100 years, because no matter what the Tories try to paint over their past , progressive and conservative do not sit side by side in the same phrase, have been Labour. Yet look at them now.

"Labour's basic reflexes — central state activism, hoarding power at the centre, top-down government — are the wrong tools to meet the challenges of the modern world. We live in a society where people are no longer rigidly defined by class or place, no longer trapped by a culture of hierarchy….

"Labour have never fully reconciled itself to how power now flows down to individuals and communities that no longer accept a relationship of obeisance to central government. From frenzied target-setting in public service to the demolition of civil liberties, Labour has misread the demand for individual and grassroots empowerment in contemporary Britain."

Just as in the later part of the 19th and early 20th century the ideology battles for progressivism were battles being fought by Labour, long before they won the political battle, so now Nick thinks the battle to be the progressive party in thinking is ours. The battles on thinking are being won on the economy, environment, civil liberties, Iraq, Ghurkhas, and other issues we led the ideological crusade and others are latching on. The war to become the progressive force in politics in the country may take longer, but its day too may be coming.

Nick says:

"So the real choice at the next election is not the old red-blue/ blue-red pendulum of British politics. It is between yellow and blue. A choice between a liberal movement — led by the Liberal Democrats — that is attracting disaffected progressive voters from a Labour Party which will take years to recover, if at all; and a Conservative Party that parrots the language of change to maintain the status quo. In short, an opportunity for progressives to do something different, and finally change things for good."

So with that message ringing in my ears and Nicks vision set out before me, I'm really excited about heading off to Bournemouth for conference. Maybe the old adage is true. Maybe life truly does begin at 101000*.

*As Mark so kindly suggested this blog is now looking at using binary in light of my Total Politics rankings.

Fraser MacPherson Top Lib Dem and Top Scottish Councillor Blogger

Total politics have released the top 30 councillor's blogs and I'd like to congratulate my Lib Dem colleague Fraser MacPherson for coming in at number 16.

This makes his top Lib Dem ahead of Brain Robson, Anders Hanson and the councillor for my old ward from University days Mary Reid at 28, 28 and 30 respectively.

He is also if my reckoning is right top Scottish Councillor Blog ahead of Andrew Burns at 19 and Ewan Aitkens* at 21. So no right wing councillor blog for us north of the Border in the

So well done to one the the Haggis, Neeps and Liberalism team on doing do well in the Councillor's list on the Total Politics Poll. In total alongside the 4 Lib Dems there are 9 Labour, 14 Conservative, 2 Plaid Cymru and 1 non-alligned counillors making up the top 30.

Personally I do think it is shame that there are no SNP councillors in that list, but then I can't think out of all the plethora of SNP blogs that there is a councillor amongst them.

*Labour man Ewan is listed as Conservative on the list whoops. Correction has been sent off to Mr Dale.

7 Days, 7 Hours, 7 Minutes Left to Vote

What? You expected me to do a normal countdown to the Total Politics poll of Blogs? How often do you read me?

Yeah it you haven't already it is time to really start to think about your top ten political blogs of the year, as I post there there really are just 7 days, 7 hours and 7 minutes to midnight on 31 July when the inbox will be shut to any new votes, and we don't want that to happen. And as you have now read this there is less time than that remaining.

As you are here and still reading this I expect that you read a number of political blogs. If that is the case good you may well read more than 10. Now I know the standard is high this year, as indeed I think mine has gone up as well (I'm certainly getting more links from elsewhere and recommendations). I think I had a harder time selecting my Top Ten for this year than last as the standard is so high and some of those I voted for last year are sadly no more. So I decided which of the new or improving blood was worthy to get into my top ten and some others slipped out.

So give it a good think.

Read the rules below.

And if you haven't already get voting.

The rules are largely the same as last year's mass participation event.

1. You must vote for your ten favourite blogs and ranks them from 1 (your favourite) to 10 (your tenth favourite).
2. Your votes must be ranked from 1 to 10. Any votes which do not have rankings will not be counted.
3. You MUST include ten blogs. If you include fewer than ten your vote will not count.
4. Email your vote to toptenblogs@totalpolitics.com
6. Only blogs based in the UK, run by UK residents are eligible or based on UK politics are eligible.
7. Anonymous votes left in the comments will not count. You must give a name
8. All votes must be received by midnight on 31 July 2009. Any votes received after that date will not count.

Iain Dale is asking us not to list a 10 on our blogs to encourage others to vote for them, so if you want to see my list you're going to have to wait until August the 1st, though I am tempted to give a number of groups of ten and not rank them to throw the cat among the pigeons. Of course if you like what I've done over the last 12 months all votes will be willingly accepted and appreciated, after all I have high standards to keep up and improve on from last year.

Campaign So 'Clean' that Chloe Smith's Job was Swept Under the Carpet

Oh dear. I've just read the following report of David Cameron's latest defence of Norwich North candidate Chloe Smith:

David Cameron has told voters in the upcoming Norwich North by-election that Tory Chloe Smith is the only candidate who has campaigned in a "positive way".

The Leader of the Opposition said Labour had just produced "smear after smear" while Ms Smith was the only one to sign a clean campaign agreement.

He was rallying Conservative supporters at Drayton Village Hall.

Oh dear. Signing something isn't how you will be recognised of being a clean campaigner it is what you say and do.

Looking at Chloe's latest leaflet (courtesy of Norfolk Blogger) she says:

'Sadly the one thing that comes across is how little faith people have in politicians to tell the truth and actually deliver on their promises. I want to be different.'

Nice sentiment. Later in the contract she writes in:

'Sometimes you have to choose between your principles and party loyalty - a
I will always choose my principles.'

One of those principles she seems to want to highlight is openness and honesty. Going so far as to suggest:

'if I am elected as your Member of Parliament - hold me to what I promise at the General Election next year.

'And by that time, if you think that I've broken any one of these promises you should vote me out.

'That's the sort of MP I want to be honest, straight-talking and
different.'

Ok then, why should be people of Norwich North have to wait until the next election to hold her to account. Surely if she has already put party loyalty over principle, if she has been less than straight-talking an honest surely they can merely decide not to even vote her in on Thursday that would save a lot of heartache and hand wringing over the months ahead.

So this 'different' candidate who doesn't want to be part of the party machine hasn't been altogether honest and straight talking about just how she is employed. She states she is a 'business consultant' rather vague, hardly straight talking and also not entirely truthful. The Times exposes that:

'she is on secondment to the Conservatives’ implementation unit. Ms Smith, who
is registered as an assistant to James Clappison, a Shadow Work and Pensions Minister, is drawing up plans on how the party would govern once in power. '

Oh how very 'different' of her. Now I reckon the people of Norwich North may not have minded if this 'honest' candidate had told them what she was doing. David Cameron says she has run a clean campaign yet not been upfront with just what she has been doing for the last year, nor that she lives in North London not North Norwich.

As I said above signing a clean campaign pledge is only really worth more than the paper it is written on if you really are clean about what you say and do. Sadly Chloe Smith is already showing herself to be just the sort of politician that even her literature doesn't really want to have as the MP for Norwich North.

1500 and the Hero Within

Yesterday I realised I had published the 1500th entry on this blog (it didn't seem that long ago since the millennium). 1500 was quite a significant number in my formative years.

I was never a sprinter when I was growing up, even at the age of 11 I was far better suited to the race around the circumference of my Primary School appox. 400m to the 50m sprint up the track. Sadly with a 5 metre lead in the qualifying I looked over my shoulder at the wrong point and twisted my ankle in a hole.

However, I'm digressing slightly as it was 1500 which for most of my secondary school career was the longest event on the menu. Of course in the 80s there was a great deal of British interest in the event there was Ovett v Coe in 1980 at Moscow, Coe v Ovett with minor role for Cram in LA in 1984. Then just as I finished my A levels shock of shock, Coe was omitted from the event for Seoul.

Coe had gone to Loughborough to study Economics and Social History. I applied to Loughborough as my first choice to study Economics and Accountancy. Who as an aspiring sportsman doesn't apply to the best equipped sporting university in the country. A reputation enhanced by its fastest ever graduate over the metric and imperial mile. Coe of course later did a masters in sports science at the University.

Coe of course then got involved on retirement from running in the politics of the sport, and eventually the politics of the country, although for the 'wrong' party. So he inspired me run maybe in more ways than one. After all as in sport there was an Ovett to shadow Coe why not in politics to.

Of course my athletics career eventually doubled the distance and put barriers in the way. Maybe the same is true of my political career trying to break through the allusion of two party politics. But Seb Coe was a childhood hero and apart from the party affiliation and some policy judgements still is.

Politics and me at Seventeen - Meme

Unlike a number of the others who have done this meme (Caron, Mr Quist and originator Irfan) I wasn't a signed up member of a political party at the age of 17. Maybe that was my naivety, maybe that was just an abhorrence to the political landscape around me.I turned 17 in 1986 and at the time I just couldn't fathom how the Unionist parties could attack Westminster for lack of attention to Northern Ireland's needs with one breathe and at the same time draw away from working with the Republic of Ireland which at that was starting to go through an economic revival.

As you tell from the above, it wasn't that I wasn't interested in politics that I hadn't joined a party it's just possibly that the thought hadn't crossed my mind, or I was too busy with getting my A levels and all the extra curricular stuff I was involved with to give it much thought. I'd like to do a meme about what you did in your student political life to fill in some gaps but maybe we can wait until Freshers' Weeks for that.

However, I was far from politically inactive. By the time I turned 18 I'd already written my first letter to an elected representative the Rev Paisley, I can't remember the content but I know I was opposed to something he'd said or done. I'd also met the man himself in Bangor market place in the lead up to the mass by elections caused by the resignation of every single Unionist MP in protest at the Anglo Irish Agreement. Plus both those and the subsequent 1987 elections were the ones I really started getting anoraky about watching result programmes. For 1987 I was sent to bed but had the radio on listening to the results coming through marking them off on the map from that day's Guardian.

I was a member of Amnesty International, CND and Greenpeace something that means I know that young people are often political active in causes and are still waiting to find the party that fits who they are if they haven't found that already. It wasn't by fluke that just after I turned 19 I joined the party I've been associated with ever since at my first Freshers' Fayre. So I was writing letter to all sorts of places, no email then at least not for the majority of us.

I was studying economics at 17, the school didn't offer politics as well or I may well have taken that as well. In doing so I got to see my first politician up front for an extended period of time. At the end of that first A Level year one of my economics teachers moved to another school and as temp we got Sammy Wilson, now an MP then Councillor and the DUP's press officer. I disagreed with his politics but realised through watching him that politicians never really turn off even in their working lives away from the political arena. He was the first person I saw with a mobile phone, admittedly a brick by today's standards but constantly in contact with a whole range of people even while teaching us. Somehow this didn't put me off getting actively involved in politics later, fool!

So there you go that's pretty much what I had and was up to when I was 17 as far as politics is concerned, feel free to have a go yourself.

Oh there is just one final thing, there was a game for the BBC B computer, if you can call it that, called GB Ltd and I managed to get the SDP elected to three consecutive terms of power. Admittedly it was pretty simple programming and didn't have a whole lot of parameters going on, but still come on give me some credit.