Blog
Where is the joined up thinking in John Hutton’s plan?
John Hutton's announcement today that lone parent benefits should be paid only until the youngest child is 11 instead of 16 could not have been timed more badly. The front page lead story in today's Times tells how parents are being charged up to £19,000 a year...
Great news for Manchester
News that Manchester won the super casino bid seemed to take everyone by surprise. How did it remain such a closely guarded secret? News presenters were this morning debating whether it would be Blackpool or the Millennium Dome. Glad I didn't bet on either of those!...
Don’t miss Newsnight tonight
You'll be kicking yourself if you miss Newsnight tonight as the slick new 18 Doughty Street goes through the Paxman grilling. This is how they are plugging it: "18 Doughty Street is the internet TV channel dedicated to all things political. The creators say that...
Community midwives’ pay slashed
Just as the government had extensive warnings about prison overcrowding in the last few years, it was also aware of the shortage of midwives putting mothers and babies at risk. Three years ago, "truly alarming" figures revealed that the number of midwives...
America uses wiki to promote open government
With Gordon Brown's admission that politicians had failed to use the internet to communicate, that they have to adjust to the growth of "audience power" through the rise of blogging, I wonder if he is closely following the new...
My walking weekend
I must pack my bag now and prepare for my walking weekend in North Norfolk with Cambridge Rambling Club. I am vastly outnumbered politically with this group, the city council does not have one Conservative councillor. I was joined on one of their...
How do you cope with a tantrum on a plane?
It's every parents' nightmare, having a child who throws a wobbly in a public place. But when the tantrum is on an plane and delays the flight, how do you cope, what can you do to placate an hysterical child, knowing everyone's eyes are fixed on you? This is what...
Internet celebs favouring WordPress
I managed to get an early night earlier this week because so many of my favourite sites had problems with Blogger. I left a few comments suggesting they switch over to WordPress like myself. And especially as it seems that cool internet celebs are favouring...
Lembit takes his Cheeky Girls to Wales
Cheeky Girl Gabriela has given the thumbs up to the mid-Wales constituency of her Lib-Dem lover Lembit Opik which she visited recently with twin sister Monica. And keen to establish herself as the perfect MP's partner, she enjoyed a "Mad...