Blog
Will Blair be the only party leader to step down?
Following Lib Dems appalling results last night, will Tony Blair be the only party leader to step down shortly? Or will he be followed by Menzies Campbell, who has failed to inspire anyone with his leadership? Last night's results were a great stepping stone...
Conservative women and arranged marriages
Thankfully, new laws to protect women from being forced into arranged marriages should be introduced by the end of the year. Victims could even sue for damages. I only hope all the legal technicalities have been considered, like if the marriage...
Maggots and modern medicine
It has to be one of the cheapest health cures around - using flesh eating maggots to help successfully treat MRSA patients in record time. But is there really no alternative from today's high-tech modern medicine? Some sceptics would ask if they were...
Julian Sturdy, campaigning in the North
Julian Sturdy, who will contest the new parliamentary seat of York Outer for Conservatives, has been getting positive feedback from his grassroots campaigning where all the target seats are held by Lib Dems - for now. We will soon know whether Labour...
The Whistleblower
While my son James heads off for another day of filming today as an extra in a new ITV drama called The Whistleblower with Carnival Films, my thoughts are with fearless whistleblower Mordechai Vanunu who revealed the secrets of Israel's nuclear...
Charles Clarke omits to mention his Home Office failures
The memory is very selective. In reflecting on 10 years of Labour rule in today's Eastern Daily Press, Norwich South MP Charles Clarke fails to mention any achievements from the Home Office and how he was sacked as Secretary for his gross failings. In case he has...
John Prescott’s shameful legacy
While the world debates the legacy of Tony Blair's tempestuous leadership - 10 years on Wednesday - the legacy of his ridiculed deputy leader will come under far less scrutiny when he steps down. After all, what is there to say? What remarkable...
Meet Veronica, a reformed alcoholic
My name is Veronica and I am a reformed alcoholic. And I don’t want it to happen to you too, which is why I have trained as a therapist and launched a training programme. There has been considerable media coverage about Alcohol Concern's idea...
A day of human rights
Today I shall be in Cambridge participating in human rights debates, including 'honour' based violence against women, secret detention, children's rights and the Israel-Palestine conflict. What better time to raise the mysterious disappearance of BBC...