House of Lords in stalemate over voting reform

"Labour says the bill is so rushed it will leave 3.5 million off the electoral register. They insist that if the government separates the two pieces of legislation, then legislation paving the way for a referendum on the alternative vote system would go ahead."


"The Labour party's commitment to cleaning up politics, to political reform, is a complete and utter farce."
Nick Clegg is showing himself to be a wanker and the very worst of politics by constantly using emotive and provocative language rather than reasoned debate.


"Sources were not ruling out that a guillotine motion could be used in the Lords. Though this would be unprecedented, coalition peers already deployed the highly rare procedure on the first all night sitting by moving a similar sort of motion - a closure motion.
A guillotine sees a government stipulate in advance of how long parliamentarians debate an issue the time by which it needs to be resolved. This has never been done in the Lords."
So the coalition government is willing to stop the debate and force its legislation through. That's a bit bad really. If ever anything in modern times showed the need for reform of the Lords it's this. The Lords exists to be a check on and balance against government, but with a majority in the Lords the coalition has unchecked power, which they are enjoying and showing what they think of those who stand against them.

I myself am in favour of AV on the Roy Jenkins model. The closer the coalitions AV proposals are to the AV+ that Jenkins came up with the more I support it. The other part of the proposals about constituency sizes I will not support (not that it matters what I think or support)
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2011/jan/18/house-of-lords-voting-reform/print

NHS cuts: Scale of shakeup took No 10 by surprise

No 10 has been so surprised by the radical nature of Andrew Lansley's NHS proposals that David Cameron has ordered a strengthening of his own policy unit so the centre is better equipped to challenge departmental plans in future. Government sources admitted that Downing Street simply did not have the specialist expertise in-house to challenge plans put forward by cabinet ministers.
If true that's all a bit odd for someone who's constantly going on about devolving power from the centre
http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2011/jan/19/nhs-cuts-scale-shakeup-surprise/print

Ed Miliband attacks 'arrogant' David Cameron over NHS reforms

"The statistics will fuel fears that Britain's young people could become a "lost generation" who cannot find work despite the recession ending a year ago."

That's my own fear, that I will be surpassed by a younger generation and be stuck in dead end jobs with no prospects. And I'm one of the lucky ones with an education and some small experience behind me. There is a real issue here and not one that can be improved by making political capital out of it.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2011/jan/19/health-edmiliband/print

Inflation: Up, up and away | Editorial

My personal worry is the bit at the bottom, about the squeeze on my money from the price rises. With my own travel costs having gone up 5% January to December I can see problems unless it stays still for a year at least
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/jan/19/inflation-up-and-away-editorial/print

The death of rock | Sam Leith

"Who are the iconic rock fans in popular culture? They are Beavis and Butthead, Bill and Ted, Wayne and Garth, and Jack Black's character in School of Rock" that, I think, says more about the bloke writing the article than about the genre of music.

Now, I don't think rock is dead, and having someone from the guardian talk about it is not a good way to breath life into it. But I go to gigs and festivals, and it's very much alive and thrashing.
And if it's not in the singles charts, and paul gamberchini thinks it's dead? Well, I couldn't give a shit

David Cameron: Andy Coulson deserves to be given a second chance

It sounds as if Cameron knows that Coulson was in the wrong and has accepted that privately without wanting to admit publicly. Sounds dodgy to me.

A letter to Nick Clegg from alarm clock Britain

Many good points are made. I think clegg is on to something in some ways. I am probably low to middle income, I have a job I hate and I'm worried about my cost of living. I would count myself at the more fortunate edge of this analysis but I can certainly see here he's coming from. but I'm afraid that the author's attempts to paint herself as an ordinary everyday person is absolute bollocks

Nick Clegg plays down Labour victory

http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2011/jan/14/oldham-byelection-nick-clegg-labour-victory

I had a feeling he might, much as I'm sure Labour are playing it up. Yvette Cooper disappointed me a bit this morning being evasive and a bit wafty

tuition fees today

i have to write something i suppose.
i personally think tuition fees should be funded through the general taxation system rather than fees or a graduate tax and it's a shame that no-one in the mainstream seems to hold this opinion. oddly, the only one single person i've heard agree with me is Richard Grayson, a Lib Dem and my old uni tutor.
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The most inspirational woman in the world...

...is Cheryl bloody Cole!
I have to get all Daily Mail and say that this really is what's wrong with this country at the moment. What has she done to be so inspirational? Wear clothes, be on TV and release some songs, the lyrics for which she is 'consulted' on. Rubbish!