Dalglish Scores Winner in Cup Tie

Before any of you think I am going slightly mad or have stepped out of a TARDIS by accident I'm not referring to King Kenny but to his son Paul.

This season I must have entered an elite groups of people who have cheered on both Kenny and Paul from the terraces/stands while they play for my team. Being Northern Irish I feel that I am allowed to indulge my football support not just for home team Bangor but also two other teams that have been in European competition, Liverpool and Livingston.

Paul has overcome a slight injury earlier this season to return with strength to the Livi starting line up. Scoring in extra time in today's game against Inverness Caledonian Thistle to secure a place in the semi-finals of the CIS Insurance Cup.

Energy Crisis Predicted for 2030

According the International Energy Agency in 25 years time demand for energy will surpass the supply available from the world's fossil fuel reserves. This is due to the advancement of developing economies in Africa, the Middle East and China. To meet these demands Carbon Dioxide emissions will rise by 52%.

Hardly surprisingly then the IEA say this trend is:

Not sustainable from an energy, security or environmental perspective. We must change these outcomes and get the planet on to a sustainable energy path.

All this at a time when Tony Blair appears to be going back on his promises on global targets and the UK’s contribution to them.

Labour Not Sure What to Do

It appears that Labour is not sure what to do about terrorism and have posted a questionnaire on their website. The most worrying thing about this questionnaire is how vague the questions are. This suggests just the opposite that Labour knows exactly what they are doing and are ready to interpret the answers accordingly.

Here are the questions and a possible interpretation in italics.

Do you think that our laws should be updated to cope with the current security threat?

This would appear to be an innocent question. However, look closely it strikes fear my drawing attention to a current security threat. 'What is Labour not telling us?' some people may wonder. Also most people including liberal leaners will agree that our terrorism laws need updating so it leads almost everyone to say yes. Saying no might just lead to your immediate detention on the suspicion of being a terrorist.

Do you think police should have the time and opportunity to complete their investigations into suspected terrorists?

This does not specify a time limit. This is a seriously loaded question. The government will use yes answers to automatically mean a backing for 90 day detention and not alternatives such as less paperwork to allow them more time to investigate on the street before making a n arrest.

Do you think the government should make sure there are new safeguards to protect innocent people?

Again with no specifics this is giving the government a blank cheque to do whatever they want.

In other words be careful how you answer a question put to you by a Labour politician. They avoid specifics, can make answers made in all innocence tell a distorted truth and message; in other words exactly what they want to hear not what the people are saying.

Be Careful of Labour activists carrying clipboards

Goldie to Lead Tories and Loses an MSP Already

I'm sorry I am of an age that associates Goldie with Simon Groom's dog on Blue Peter. Not the next leader of the Scottish Tories looks set to share the name.

Annabel Goldie appears to be having a Michael Howard style coronation as the leader to replace David McLetchie, with Murdo Fraser completing the 'dream' ticket. However, we all know how sucessful Howard proved to be, especially in Scotland.

Annabelle has managed to do something that not even Michael Howard managed however. Her group in parliament has shrunk by 5.6% before she has even been officially appointed as leader. Brian Monteith a list member for Mid Scotland and Fife has resigned the whip after it emerged that he had e-mailed a Sunday newspaper editor suggesting a leader column calling for Mr McLetchie to quit as party leader.

Therefore the Conservative benches are now reduced to 17 in the Scottish Parliament.

Devine's Voter Honeymoon Over

It appears that the voters are watching carefully and seeing that Jim Devine’s claim to be following in Robin Cook’s footsteps is falling short. This appeared in the online West Lothian News:

SIR, I am pleased to report that the new MP for the area has at least lived up to his own words. During the election he said he was no Robin Cook. How true, because Robin Cook wouldn't have voted for the draconian Prevention of Terrorism Bill which Mr Devine has just signed up to!

Labour - and Mr Devine - believe that the only way to stop terrorism is to turn this country into a police state and that's what this bill does.

Mr Devine was once a senior officer of a union that wholeheartedly objects to this bill - it seems that Mr Devine's morals are up for grabs for the highest bidder, once it was Unison now it is the Labour party!
Ian Wallace, Mid Calder

So I guess this means that the Devine honeymoon period is over. I make that five weeks.

Place Your Bets Now

So David Blunkett has finally resigned.

So it looks that Lynne Featherstone’s question which I alluded to yesterday has been answered in the negative.

Are William Hill or Ladbrokes taking bets on when David Blunkett will be rehabilitated in a third Mandelsonesque way?

The Blunkett Sidestep

I read Lynne Featehrstone’s blog with interest yesterday. She said that she had the first question on David Blunketts latest big news dayand that her supplementary was shunned by the Minster for Works and Pensions. So I eagerly awaited this morning's update of Hansard with interest to see what was actually said.

What is wrong with asking him:

…does he believe that he remains in a position to secure the consensus that he mentioned in a divided Cabinet over the urgent need radically to reform the pensions system?

I agree with Lynne that some mention had to be made about his judgement as the whole media was asking that question. Not to do so, as the first opposition questioner, would have been derided in the media.

Unfortunately due to a minsters share dealings and his own frustration at his foolishness we did not find out if the Minster feels that there is a consensus in cabinet to push through another of their manifesto pledges. Their recent discussion on a smoking ban being a case in point that the public are concerned how stable the promises of this government is at present.