quote of the day

“John McCain is himself a Westerner; he understands Western issues like water, land and illegal immigration.” – Ken Summers

Water, land and illegal immigration. Those three staples of modern western life…

Tanya Gold is a Legend.

This article is fantastic. But of course it had to take an Oxford graduate to say it, because anyone else who says it is just jealous, right? Don’t listen to those nasty little people who tell you that Oxbridge perpetuates class, financial and educational inequality. They’re just bitter.

New ID cards for ‘Foreign Nationals’

Article here

So foreign nationals, or the ‘dirty immigrants’ as the government likes to call them are to receive ID cards. It seems that the people from the No2ID campaign have missed the point slightly; they’re happy to talk about ’salami slicing’ the measures in to bring in the ID system, but why is no one talking about the implicit racism involved here? It’s a multilayered thing. We are supposed to have a British identity and a European identity – at least politically. So we’re not racist against Brits or EU residents. But everyone else is a threat to our borders, just like people from European countries were before the EU.

In one way I’m quite glad this is coming in to effect. It’s exactly what I’ll be talking about in my thesis.

‘Hardie is “Greatest Labour Hero”‘ – BBC

Article here
Kier Hardie has been voted Labour’s greatest hero. I can’t argue too much – it’s a good call. Although, if you look at the people in the running I think my league table would differ slightly:

1) Nye Bevan – because he is an absolute legend and my all time Labour Hero
2) Kier Hardie – because without him we wouldn’t have a party worth calling Labour (although sometimes we can still doubt that now, right?)
3) Clem Atlee – because he was an unsung hero, but how much of him was just figurehead?
4) Barbara Castle – because her determination and strength of mind was phenomenal (NB – she could have been higher, but to my shame I don’t know enough about her)

So, What does Tom Miller, Peter Kenyon and Bob Piper think?

Punk and Apathy

Liking to think of myself as a bit of a punk, and with my Master’s course starting next week (and I can not wait!) I am planning an article about the above and Punk today. Let me know if you like the idea!

What were you doing when you heard about…

I have been tagged by a certain Mr. Kenyon, and considering my lack of posting recently, I think it’s only fair for me to comply!

Princess Diana’s death – 31st August 1997
When I heard about this, I had gotten up early (I was slightly younger then than I am now…), and happened to catch it on the news. I woke up my parents because it was obviously a big deal. But after that I wasn’t really too bothered.

Margaret Thatcher’s Resignation – 22nd November 1990
Even though I was only four years old, I organised possibly the biggest party anyone had ever saw. We congoed, we played strip snap, and we drank yards of milk. It was fantastic. Oh, and if the bat does get a state funeral, I wager that at least 40% of people who turn up will be there just to make sure that she has actually left us

Attack on the twin towers – 11 September 2001
I was off school ill this day, when I was in year 10. I watched the second plane hit the tower live on TV. I guess that makes me a part of history

England’s World Cup Semi Final against Germany – 4 July 1990
I guess I might have been near the TV screen, but other than that I couldn’t tell you

President Kennedy’s Assassination – 22 November 1963
The grassy Knoll. But no one knows that.

I won’t tag anyone to do this – that’d be a little cheeky considering my absence!

Cruddas strikes again

Again he speaks sense. The PM show on Radio 4 just described his letter as ‘less of a pro Brown letter, but an anti-Miliband letter’. I could not agree more. Miliband is a slimy, smarmy incarnation of Tony Blair who will be poisonous for the Labour Party.

The return of the Unions

I read a fantastic article in the Guardian today, and had to share my elation. The article in question is obviously ‘Unions hit Brown with 130 demands’.

It’s great to see that the Unions haven’t been lying dormant, but have very cleverly been biding their time, waiting for the right moment. And what a perfect moment, with a party in financial and political trouble. We all know that the grassroots, bar one or two groups, have been in support of the unions, and considering the amount of amendments that have been filed by left wing grassroots organisations in the party for the upcoming policy forum, the unions will get their needed support.

I don’t want to be brash and declare this is crunch time for Brown, but the simple truth is that Brown needs the unions, and will have no choice but to push through at least the core proposals. Furthermore, these will be the policies that will make up Labour’s next manifesto. Is a sensibly left manifesto on the cards? I certainly hope so.

We have been waiting a long time for this, and for many of us our patience has been stretched to the limit. So where we can, let’s get behind the unions and push our party in the direction we want to see it travelling.

The People’s Rail

Just a quick one for now. And while we’re at it, how about chaging the name of the country to ‘The People’s Republic of Britain’ or something?

Check out the People’s Rail Charter

You’ve gotta love Steve Bell

Who’d have thought me and the Iron Lady would ever share similar thoughts?!