Blog
Sex trafficking on my doorstep
It's chilling and gripping and happening virtually right on my doorstep, according to Murphy's Law. Do watch the last episode tonight if you don't mind being shaken out of your comfort zone. It's on at 9pm, BBC1. It makes me feel so uncomfortable, these young,...
My advice to you is – steer well clear of Tech Guys
I am having a nightmare experience with Tech Guys, and I want to warn you what service to expect if you take your computer there for repair. You will find them sitting comfortably in PC World stores, proudly promoted at the top of their website. I found them via a...
How can the EU improve its image?
I feel sorry for Margot Wallstrom, she has an impossible task - to make the EU popular with citizens in all its 27 member states. As the EU's Communications Commissioner, she has just published an updated communications strategy to make the EU more...
£1 million inheritance tax threshold
I've been to a couple of parties recently where the subject of inheritance tax has cropped up. Ageing parents are anguished at the thought of the Chancellor's coffers reaping the rewards of their lifetime's hard work and prudence because of the £300,000...
The price paid by political bloggers
I would like to pay tribute to the brave bloggers of Burma who risked their liberty to keep us updated on anti-government demonstrations, being forced underground to avoid detection. They have now been silenced by a brutal regime which switched off the internet. These...
Julian Sturdy – York Outer video
This is a video I recorded of Julian Sturdy in the constituency of York Outer, where he is a Conservative parliamentary candidate. You can see him at home and in the community, working with local people on local issues. This video focuses on Julian's campaign to dual...
I slept in the spare room last night
I was removing the last crusty flakes of mascara when I saw IT through the mirror - and froze. A spider the size of a dinner plate attached to the side of my bed. I could feel the ends of my hairs tightening in shock. Equipped for such an emergency, I silently inched...
Thanks for voting me in the Top Ten
I'm thrilled and delighted to be ranked at No 10 in Iain's 2007 Guide to Political Blogging voted for by fellow bloggers and readers. It includes a list of 500. A thousand thanks to you all. What particularly thrills me is that my blog is enjoyed by a wide spectrum of...
The Foreign Office blog
Congratulations to David Miliband for launching a blog as Foreign Secretary. I know he made mistakes with his Defra site, which he has acknowledged, and I am chuffed to still be included on his new blogroll. I did predict back in July that he might be blogging again...