tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-51302112011-07-14T22:30:56.084+01:00Anglo-European politics, by J Clive Matthews (aka Nosemonkey) "Great and even-handed" - The BBCNosemonkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770646488422232541noreply@blogger.comBlogger13831100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5130211.post-1164654157591778802006-11-27T18:59:00.000Z2006-11-27T19:02:37.600Z

Yep, I've finally gone and done it. Europhobia can, from now on, be found at www.jcm.org.uk/blog.The new version may not be quite done yet, it may have a few glitches, and the archives haven't yet been fully sorted out (YOU try assigning categories to around 1,400 posts...), but it's pretty much there.Time to update bookmarks / RSS feeds, people - if anyone actually cares, that is...Again, that

Nosemonkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770646488422232541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5130211.post-1164361909242308812006-11-24T08:34:00.000Z2006-11-26T14:41:38.260Z

He really just doesn't get it, does he?"A new contract between the state and the citizen setting out what individuals must do in return for quality services from hospitals, schools and the police is one of the key proposals emerging from a Downing Street initiated policy review."Does he even get what the "social contract" is all about? It's one of the fundamental ideas underlying the British

Nosemonkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770646488422232541noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5130211.post-1164329184738618382006-11-24T00:41:00.000Z2006-11-24T00:46:24.863Z

There's a top-notch overview of the historical difficulties facing the new Prodi administration in Italy courtesy of the supremely readable Phil Edwards, up now at The Sharpener. More knowledgable and insightful analysis than anything else you're likely to have read this week.

Nosemonkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770646488422232541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5130211.post-1164322738585023802006-11-23T22:44:00.000Z2006-11-23T22:58:58.760Z

Via Jarndyce (yes, I know... I nearly fainted from shock...) I've found my first right-wing blogger in favour of staying in the EU! (Yes, I know... I nearly fainted from shock...)It's about bloody time one of these cropped up - there's a surprising number of them around in the real world, where the fantasy land of a fully independent, self-sufficient Britain is seen as just as (if not more)

Nosemonkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770646488422232541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5130211.post-1164298942102604692006-11-23T16:04:00.000Z2006-11-23T16:22:22.216Z

Let's get this out of the way sharpish. Via Not Saussure, ten things I'll never do:10) Slap a nun with a haddock9) Travel faster than the speed of light8) Shag Jean Arthur (damnit...)7) Swim the Sea of Tranquility6) Meet a nice South African5) Eat Brian Blessed4) Kill a man using nothing but a single baked bean and a rolled-up copy of the Tablet (though I would consider it with the Church of

Nosemonkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770646488422232541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5130211.post-1164279047737025062006-11-23T10:42:00.000Z2006-11-23T23:03:13.913Z

The Dutch elections are confusing me. Nanne has the results and is trying to work out potential coalitions, but no one is agreed on what's going to happen next. The New York Times reckons the country will swing to the left, the Washington Post sees a vote in favour of the pre-elections centre-right government with a marked rise for extreme parties on either side of the political spectrum, while

Nosemonkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770646488422232541noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5130211.post-1164197268330576042006-11-22T10:51:00.001Z2006-11-22T12:07:48.536Z

A new little something from me over at The Sharpener.

Nosemonkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770646488422232541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5130211.post-1164105897814406532006-11-21T09:37:00.001Z2006-11-21T10:51:52.266Z

Yes kids, that's right! It's the most exciting day of the year - EU budget day! Weeeeeeeeeee!If you really, really must, EU Politix have a nice (mercifully short) summary of the usual potential issues - notably the spat between the European Parliament and the European Commission over budget cuts, staffing levels and the like.It's all same old, same old - only the EP does, at least, finally seem

Nosemonkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770646488422232541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5130211.post-1163933942734174152006-11-19T10:46:00.000Z2006-11-19T10:59:02.873Z

Two years ago, a semi-anonymous blogger was telling them that the 2012 Olympics were likely (not including infrastructure development and PR) to cost around £4.7 billion, rather than the initial estimate of £2.3 billion. Now they're estimating £5 billion - though with some warning that could rise again to as much as £9 billion once they've finally worked out how to do basic arithmetic.For a bit

Nosemonkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770646488422232541noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5130211.post-1163890712622181642006-11-18T22:13:00.000Z2006-11-18T22:58:33.270Z

I know I promised a return to quality on this place, but this is going to be more like Popbitch. Sorry...Politico spot: John Reid coming out of the Cavendish Square exit of the Oxford Street branch of John Lewis c.4pm this afternoon, arm in arm with a brunette in her thirties. Was this his daughter, or is he following the precedent of his predecessor (but one) as Home Secretary and getting an

Nosemonkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770646488422232541noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5130211.post-1163722855264676872006-11-17T00:17:00.000Z2006-11-17T00:20:55.523Z

From across the pond, here's what's going to happen if you forget your ID card, assuming our dear government are allowed to have their way...

Nosemonkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770646488422232541noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5130211.post-1163674711919074852006-11-16T10:34:00.000Z2006-11-16T10:58:32.046Z

France's next president could be decided today as the Socialists vote in a three-way primary for their candidate to take on Chirac's expected conservative successor, Nicholas Sarkozy.The front-runner for the socialists (on 49% - via) is currently thought to be Ségolène Royal - who would become France's first female president if she gets all the way to the top - although being a bit of a moderate

Nosemonkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770646488422232541noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5130211.post-1163586755850435942006-11-15T10:26:00.000Z2006-11-15T19:11:46.506Z

State Opening of Parliament today - a good day to bury bad news, so keep your eyes peeled.Already, we have: UK unemployment at seven year high - see the Office for National Statistics for the full report.Oh, there was also a handy "web chat" with the civil servant in charge of ID cards published late last night on the 10 Downing Street site. Lots of quality astroturfing, plus the priceless gem:"

Nosemonkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770646488422232541noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5130211.post-1163509356590421522006-11-14T12:40:00.000Z2006-11-14T13:02:36.780Z

According to today's EU Politix press review, it is looking increasingly likely that the next president of the European Parliament will be the centre-right EPP group's leader.(Yep, that's the same group that David Cameron promised the tories he'd pull out of. At some point. Even though practically none of the Tories' MEPs want to leave it because it's huge and gives them leverage to affect EU

Nosemonkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770646488422232541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5130211.post-1163507190515356772006-11-14T12:17:00.000Z2006-11-14T12:26:30.630Z

On the day of the Royal Premiere of Casino Royale (not the cult classic with Peter Sellers and Orson Welles, obviously), I've been jumping on the Bond bandwaggon over at my movie blog. So go on - pop along and leave a comment and join in the discussion of the merits of the various 007s, and it'll impress my dear employers. Ta!

Nosemonkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770646488422232541noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5130211.post-1163419211893123822006-11-13T11:33:00.000Z2006-11-13T14:24:57.796Z

For those still following the extraordinary rendition story, the secret CIA flights allegedly transporting prisioners from The War Against Terror, attention should be turned to Poland, where - according to the EU Observer - "a three day trip to Warsaw produced only vague, contradictory information from low-ranking officials". Added into the mix are missing flight records, and great little

Nosemonkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770646488422232541noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5130211.post-1163156070869738712006-11-10T10:10:00.000Z2006-11-10T10:54:30.990Z

Blogging has continued to be intermittent here for a couple of months - but all that is (probably) set to change. As from 17th November, I will be full-time freelance after three solid years working day-in, day-out producing lovely glossy history and travel magazines aimed largely at Americans planning to visit Britain. My final issue, on which I was Acting Editor, should be on the shelves in

Nosemonkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770646488422232541noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5130211.post-1162745307353686742006-11-05T16:33:00.000Z2006-11-05T16:49:39.803Z

Britain is supposed to be morally and legally opposed to the death penalty, so why is Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett expressing her support for the psycho ex-dictator's imminent execution? Yes, the guy's guilty (and guilty of far more than he was tried for), but how does this mesh with the Foreign Office's own pronouncements on killing people convicted by courts of law - even courts less

Nosemonkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770646488422232541noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5130211.post-1162462419097920372006-11-02T10:13:00.000Z2006-11-02T10:13:39.216Z

Policeman in "does his job" shocker!

Nosemonkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770646488422232541noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5130211.post-1162379512182226292006-11-01T09:59:00.000Z2006-11-01T11:11:52.336Z

Something new from me over at The Sharpener, providing some context to John Reid's recent comments about the need for fresh innovation to combat terrorism.

Nosemonkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770646488422232541noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5130211.post-1162038238335176732006-10-28T13:15:00.002+01:002006-11-01T11:12:58.120Z

The Bush administration uses unimaginative essay-writing technique #236: "It all depends on your definition of..."*sigh* Why must the world be run by such second-class minds? And why has this story been buried on a weekend (there's nothing about it on the main pages of either the Washington Post or the New York Times, and the ever-handy Newsmap shows it's receiving far less press coverage than a

Nosemonkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770646488422232541noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5130211.post-1161862990161386272006-10-26T11:43:00.001+01:002006-10-26T13:58:54.420+01:00

As if it wasn't enough to have spent the last nine years under the most legislation-happy government in forever (who love the idea of new laws so much they want to bypass parliament through the Legislative and Regulatory Reform Bill to enable them to make new ones on a whim), now they're giving yet more people the power to make us criminals, this time local councils.Unsurprisingly, one of the

Nosemonkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770646488422232541noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5130211.post-1161339878346422512006-10-20T11:13:00.000+01:002006-10-20T11:24:38.476+01:00

I have been busy on a number of real-world projects over the last couple of months, hence the decline in posts here. That should all change soon.Now, however, I can reveal one of them: a return to my writing roots in film (a subject on which I first started writing back in 1997, and have continued doing so for various publications ever since - including authoring two books, on Tim Burton and The

Nosemonkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770646488422232541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5130211.post-1161094989606039432006-10-17T15:11:00.000+01:002006-10-17T15:23:09.976+01:00

The winning logo for next year's celebrations of the 50th anniversary of the Treaty of Rome:And in the accompanying story, the killer quote:"The winner was named amid reports that the EU is scaling back celebration plans, fearing public ridicule."*sigh*They really do themselves no favours, do they?And that's before I even attempt to start explaining the supposed costs of EU membership - which,

Nosemonkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770646488422232541noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5130211.post-1160644645975669052006-10-12T09:55:00.000+01:002006-10-12T10:17:26.103+01:00

I'm not dead, merely insanely busy putting a magazine together all on my lonesome during the day and working on a new project for the BBC in the evenings. All of which is very exciting and fun and everything, but means I've barely got five minutes spare for anything else.And, of course, there's the whole "politics is incredibly boring and repetitive" thing going on again at the moment. For

Nosemonkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770646488422232541noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5130211.post-1159445931288691272006-09-28T13:02:00.000+01:002006-09-28T13:20:03.820+01:00

Home Secretary John Reid, in his speech to the Labour party conference in Manchester:"It's not Muslims versus the rest of us, it's evil terrorists on one side against all civilised people on the other."Meanwhile, a couple of hundred miles north in Glasgow, immigration officials acting on the orders of Reid's own department this morning launched another of their infamous dawn raids on the family

Nosemonkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770646488422232541noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5130211.post-1159433515446527132006-09-28T09:27:00.000+01:002006-09-28T09:51:55.726+01:00

First, Mick Fealty is up for an award for his superb Northern Irish politics blog Slugger O'Toole - which if you don't read already you really should. Here are a few reasons why he deserves to be voted one of The Top 10 Who Are Changing the World of Internet and Politics (and yes, encouraging and enabling civil and peaceful trans-sectarian participation and debate is indeed high on the list).

Nosemonkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770646488422232541noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5130211.post-1159267339272287862006-09-26T11:33:00.000+01:002006-09-26T11:43:35.530+01:00

yet observ'dTheir dread Commander: he above the restIn shape and gesture proudly eminentStood like a Towr; his form had yet not lostAll her Original brightness, nor appear'dLess then Arch Angel ruind, and th' excessOf Glory obscur'd: As when the Sun new ris'nLooks through the Horizontal misty AirShorn of his Beams, or from behind the MoonIn dim Eclips disastrous twilight shedsOn half the Nations,

Nosemonkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770646488422232541noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5130211.post-1159261325396226302006-09-26T09:45:00.000+01:002006-09-26T10:33:57.553+01:00

It's been a while, but something new from me over at The Sharpener: the snappily-titled A new Euromyth - born from the EU doing its job exactly as it should. (I'll never make a Sun Sub-editor...)

Nosemonkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770646488422232541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5130211.post-1158692405416674602006-09-19T19:55:00.000+01:002006-09-20T10:13:25.310+01:00

(At least until they shut off the net in an hour or two...)Stirling work from Bangkok Pundit, 2Bangkok, Thai-Blogs, and ignore the pink hearts and multiple exclamation marks, Gnarly Kitty is also putting in a good, stream-of-consciousness show.Once again, the blogs have more rapid updates than most of the news channels.Update: Go on then, this is meant to be a Europe-focussed blog. Have a

Nosemonkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770646488422232541noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5130211.post-1158533706186902582006-09-17T23:52:00.000+01:002006-09-17T23:55:06.203+01:00

It's Britblog Roundup time again!Apologies in advance, by the by - posting is likely to be even more sparse over the coming week as ever more work piles up. I'm still after suggestions of decent film blogs though - read any? Run any? Point me in the right direction - and all will be revealed in the next fortnight or so. Ta, etc.

Nosemonkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770646488422232541noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5130211.post-1158397603364742352006-09-16T09:50:00.000+01:002006-09-16T10:08:19.626+01:00

Still insanely busy, so have more blogs - here to remind me to blogroll them as much as anything: the Times' Daniel Finkelstein is still getting up to speed, but shows promise, while the Guardian's Steven Poole (who once wrote nice things about one of my books) has been blogging intermittently since May last year, but recently seems to have got more prolific. Any encouragement I can give to keep

Nosemonkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770646488422232541noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5130211.post-1158191415261777062006-09-14T00:45:00.000+01:002006-09-14T00:50:40.373+01:00

Speaking of new blogging talent, you really ought to check out brand spanking new Britblogger Not Saussure, who I'm going to plug now even though he asked me to hold off until he's got the hang of the thing. He's been going for about three weeks, and is off to a very good start indeed.(Via him, and also well worth a gander (if not that new) is American blogger Jon Swift - who in places gets very

Nosemonkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770646488422232541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5130211.post-1158181236288070402006-09-13T21:53:00.000+01:002006-09-13T22:00:40.030+01:00

Via Larry, someone who most certainly should have been on my recent new blog roundup: Scottish blogger Flying Rodent. Top stuff. Random quote:"A real human truth was revealed to me by September 11th - lawyers hate being put on hold. They hate it like fire."Yay for new blogging talent!

Nosemonkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770646488422232541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5130211.post-1158133398547858702006-09-13T08:32:00.000+01:002006-09-13T08:43:18.710+01:00

Insanely busy again, but this annoyed me:"A newly qualified squaddie facing suicide bombers, snipers and rockets round the clock earns two thirds of a British policeman’s wage; in a combat zone the 16-hour watches give an hourly rate of £2.45 and in Helmand, getting off duty after 16 hours is often a pipe dream anyway — fighting goes on for days. After Reid gaily said that they could leave '

Nosemonkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770646488422232541noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5130211.post-1157985570951304972006-09-11T15:36:00.000+01:002006-09-11T15:39:31.450+01:00

Wouldn't it be nice if similar scenes greeted Blair on his return?(Without the bombed-out buildings, infrastructure reduced to rubble, and human suffering on an almost unimaginable scale, naturally... I meant the protests... Erm...)

Nosemonkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770646488422232541noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5130211.post-1157709025302877032006-09-08T10:46:00.000+01:002006-09-08T10:50:25.320+01:00

Why can't disgraced former Home Secretary (and apparently still a leadership hopeful) Charles Clarke make up his mind? Is he for or against infighting within the Labour party? It's only been a week since he was firmly against it, two months after being for it, and now he's all in favour again, publicly calling Gordon Brown "stupid".Talk about flip-flopping - at least John Kerry only changed his

Nosemonkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770646488422232541noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5130211.post-1157704529762080132006-09-08T09:16:00.000+01:002006-09-08T10:13:53.090+01:00

It really is the end times... Extracts from today's Quentin Letts column, reporting on Blair's visit to Quintin Kynaston school in north London yesterday, where he announced his plans to depart office within twelve months:"By 1240 hours the noise levels were becoming intolerable and blue-uniformed children were running round with 'Blair Must Go' banners which bore the Socialist Worker logo..."A

Nosemonkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770646488422232541noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5130211.post-1157639627028009412006-09-07T15:32:00.000+01:002006-09-07T15:35:42.596+01:00

Blair will step down "within the next 12 months"? Better than nothing, admittedly, but now he's got precisely the problem that he always said he'd have if he announced a date - no policy initiatives seen to be coming from him in the next 12 months will be deemed to have any authority whatsoever unless Brown (presumably, as heir apparent) seems to give his assent. Interesting... Has the PM just

Nosemonkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770646488422232541noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5130211.post-1157634993998372012006-09-07T14:10:00.000+01:002006-09-07T14:16:34.256+01:00

After my speculation late yesterday, The New Statesman has finally put that David Miliband interview online. A quote I haven't seen before:"We look at the debate which says, 'Either we have a smooth transition or you have a train crash.' Obviously you want a smooth transition. But we want something more. These are people who are ministers, who are party MPs, party supporters; these are people of

Nosemonkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770646488422232541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5130211.post-1157579320105930102006-09-06T22:30:00.000+01:002006-09-07T11:18:27.356+01:00

Since this morning's resignations, a few rumours have begun to circulate about the possibility that a senior cabinet minister is set to resign. Whether there's any truth to these, I have no idea - Tory blogger Iain Dale, who has a fair few Westminster contacts, also mentions it, while Sunny Hundal has a plausible suggestion.However, this whole affair, from the suggestions of the 31st May

Nosemonkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770646488422232541noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5130211.post-1157548690929979322006-09-06T14:06:00.000+01:002006-09-06T14:43:50.166+01:00

A big welcome back to the blogroll for Labour MP Tom Watson, who I dropped when he became a government whip as he'd no longer be able to be interesting. But let's face it, anyone called "disloyal, discourteous and wrong" by our dear Prime Minister has got be alright. I also love the petulant PM's "you can't quit - you're fired!" nonsense mentioned further down that BBC report. Grow up, Tony...The

Nosemonkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770646488422232541noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5130211.post-1157537990947466142006-09-06T10:23:00.000+01:002006-09-06T11:19:51.670+01:00

Sounds boring, eh? Especially when you find out that the EU, the most boring institution in the world bar the International Confederation of Accountancy and Algebra, is also involved.However, following earlier outrage from the elected portion of the EU over plans to rubber-stamp the unilateral transfer of transatlantic air passenger data to US law enforcement agencies (visiting Auntie Flo in

Nosemonkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770646488422232541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5130211.post-1157457487930826952006-09-05T12:47:00.000+01:002006-09-05T12:58:20.350+01:00

Erm... "John Reid will sanction the forced removal of up to 32 Iraqis today after telling the high court he would ignore any last-minute legal challenge to their deportation."Yes, that's right - the Home Secretary has announced that he will ignore legal challenges to his decisions.Yes, that's right - the same Home Secretary who is in charge of the criminal justice system.And that's ignoring the

Nosemonkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770646488422232541noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5130211.post-1157062552782445092006-08-31T22:59:00.000+01:002006-09-01T09:50:42.276+01:00

This sounds like it was fun. (Unlike this alternative protest...)I particularly approve of protesting against the lack of hat wearing in public life - some blame the last few decades' collapse of civil society and boom in crime on the welfare state, some on wishy-washy 1960s liberalism. Me, I blame the decline in hat wearing and the lack of well-groomed facial hair amongst today's menfolk (and no

Nosemonkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770646488422232541noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5130211.post-1157016786243004132006-08-31T10:29:00.000+01:002006-08-31T10:33:06.263+01:00

Today: "Infighting within the Labour Party will help the Conservatives at the next general election, former Home Secretary Charles Clarke has said."Two months ago: "In what amounts to one of the most public rows among senior Blairites since 1997, Mr Clarke rejected claims that recent bad publicity showed he had lost control of his department. 'I disagree. I argue that the way it's gone is a

Nosemonkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770646488422232541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5130211.post-1156933701679490792006-08-30T10:03:00.000+01:002006-08-30T11:28:21.983+01:00

Thus spake France’s Minister for European Affairs, Catherine Colonna, giving her opinion of the state of the EU to the assembled ranks of the French Ambassadorial elite. Packed with (if we’re honest, fairly astute) criticisms of the current way the EU works, this seems to be a new approach from France, the country which more than any other has driven European integration and reform during the

Nosemonkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770646488422232541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5130211.post-1156864962358391822006-08-29T16:07:00.000+01:002006-08-29T16:49:14.610+01:00

Considering that Japan's own Tony Blair, Junichiro Koizumi, is due to step down as Prime Minister in a few weeks, it's hard to know what impact his current sucking up to murderous Central Asian dictators will have on the constitutionally pacifist nation's future foreign policy.Nonetheless, the fact that any supposedly liberal, westernised democracy would even consider attempting to build closer

Nosemonkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770646488422232541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5130211.post-1156851472976404562006-08-29T12:19:00.000+01:002006-08-29T12:37:54.510+01:00

Colman is spot on about Angela Merkel's suggestion that God should have a place in any new EU constitution. Merkel contests that"[the constitution] should be connected to Christianity and God, as Christianity has forged Europe in a decisive way"As Colman points out, this means"we should include references to absolute monarchy, discrimination against women and anti-semitism, all of which have also

Nosemonkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770646488422232541noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5130211.post-1156762526759184622006-08-28T11:44:00.000+01:002006-08-28T11:55:26.776+01:00

Our man Worstall reminds me that our man Barlow is still slogging away on his John O-Groats to Land's End walk in aid of the Brain Research Trust (follow his progress here) - which reminded me that I had a bunch of charitable donations from Europhobia readers from ages ago which had got frozen when my PayPal account briefly died.That's now been fixed so, combined with advertising revenue from the

Nosemonkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770646488422232541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5130211.post-1156728262987953422006-08-28T02:18:00.000+01:002006-08-28T02:24:22.996+01:00

And to celebrate, a redesign!Here's where I started properly - and since then it's been near-daily updates all the way.I liked the old design, but although it worked fine in Firefox and Safari, I'd been getting a few complaints that it didn't show up properly in Internet Explorer - the sidebars weren't working properly and ended up overlapping the posts.This should now be fixed - although the

Nosemonkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770646488422232541noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5130211.post-1156601572020635192006-08-26T15:12:00.000+01:002006-08-26T15:12:52.110+01:00

Up now at The Sharpener - some good'uns in there, even if it did take me rather longer than I'd hoped to get the thing up...

Nosemonkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770646488422232541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5130211.post-1156509024480700802006-08-25T13:27:00.000+01:002006-08-25T13:30:25.120+01:00

Not guilty of taking part in a terrorist plot that never existed? Meh... Never mind - let's deport the bugger anyway. To a regime known to use torture. That has already admitted that it plans to lock him up as soon as he arrives.(via that Worstall, who has more)

Nosemonkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770646488422232541noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5130211.post-1156433832602400582006-08-24T15:46:00.000+01:002006-08-24T16:40:09.970+01:00

Finally, an admission from the government, in Ruth Kelly's speech launching Britain's own Truth and Reconciliation Commission, the Commission on Integration and Cohesion:"Muslims feel the reverberations from the Middle East. Wider global trends have an impact."So despite all the previous denials, foreign policy DOES affect British muslims' attitudes? Glad we've finally got that one sorted.There's

Nosemonkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770646488422232541noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5130211.post-1156242682793532952006-08-22T11:28:00.000+01:002006-08-22T11:31:22.930+01:00

This could be fun - expose the inanity, and all entirely legally.(I've been in the wilds of Dartmoor for the last few days, by the by, and have picked up a lurgy - more later if my brain clears, nose ceases running, and throat stops feeling like some bugger's running a cheese grater up and down the inside of the sodding thing)

Nosemonkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770646488422232541noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5130211.post-1155822278164776042006-08-17T14:36:00.000+01:002006-08-17T14:44:38.300+01:00

Well let's just say that when nearly a third of Northern Irish students can receive an A-grade in the things, with a UK-wide average of a quarter getting As, the thing starts to look a tad suspect. Being in the top 33 or 25 per cent does not, in my books, mean you have excelled, which is what I always thought an A-grade was supposed to indicate.Personally I have no doubt whatsoever that the

Nosemonkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770646488422232541noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5130211.post-1155809654457336662006-08-17T10:32:00.000+01:002006-08-17T12:43:24.910+01:00

It's bad enough when a teacher who supports the BNP gets sacked for their (decidedly repellant) political beliefs, despite no evidence that those beliefs were being propagated in the classroom. But suspending someone for being a right-wing Tory and writing an intermittently amusing but hardly either original or offensive article for a blog? Come off it...The spectrum from Iain Dale on the right

Nosemonkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770646488422232541noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5130211.post-1155729852944558082006-08-16T13:02:00.000+01:002006-08-16T13:04:12.986+01:00

Vigilance in the face of an unprecedented terrorist threat 1Vigilance in the face of an unprecedented terrorist threat 2

Nosemonkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770646488422232541noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5130211.post-1155658920944861272006-08-15T17:04:00.001+01:002006-08-15T17:22:00.966+01:00

Has John Prescott got a clue? Criticising the Leader of Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition for, erm, doing his job and criticising the government? When his criticisms are effectively more like "I'd probably do it ever so slightly differently" than "you're a bunch of incompetent idiots"? Did he actually listen to what David Cameron said - or is he just trying to remind us all that it's him, not John

Nosemonkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770646488422232541noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5130211.post-1155658759328971622006-08-15T17:04:00.000+01:002006-08-15T17:19:19.563+01:00

Has John Prescott got a clue? Criticising the Leader of Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition for, erm, doing his job and criticising the government? When his criticisms are effectively more like "I'd probably do it ever so slightly differently" than "you're a bunch of incompetent idiots"? Did he actually listen to what David Cameron said - or is he just trying to remind us all that it's him, not John

Nosemonkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770646488422232541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5130211.post-1155571500919852932006-08-14T17:03:00.000+01:002006-08-14T17:05:00.966+01:00

"Why not just go all the way and announce a short period of Sharia law if keeping us safe above all things is the overriding consideration?"Indeed.

Nosemonkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770646488422232541noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5130211.post-1155566609216654872006-08-14T15:07:00.000+01:002006-08-14T15:48:43.146+01:00

Erm: "Mr Rafiq, of the Sufi Muslim Council, which is among several new Muslim groups to emerge in the past year, said: 'The first thing that we need to do as a community is admit there is a problem."'It is like being an alcoholic - we need to stand up and say these things and have an open and honest debate.'"How would he know what it's like to be an alcoholic? I thought Muslims don't drink?/

Nosemonkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770646488422232541noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5130211.post-1155407532024187472006-08-12T19:28:00.000+01:002006-08-12T19:32:12.030+01:00

Psycho terrorists acting sensibly? What the hell is the world coming to? The best possible move Hezbollah can make - publicly accept the UN ceasefire plan so that Israel looks unreasonable. And then when rockets continue to be fired south across the border and Israel responds in kind, it can all be blamed on a few bad apples and Israel slagged off even more. Top bit of PR, nutty Islamic killer

Nosemonkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770646488422232541noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5130211.post-1155406623667750292006-08-12T19:09:00.000+01:002006-08-12T19:23:45.863+01:00

Good point, well made:"If the threat level can only be raised after a plot has been foiled, just what are they meant to warn us about?"And the general point responded to likewise.In utterly unrelated news, Sunny has a good piece over at Comment is Free expanding on ideas I pondered in that Press Gazette piece on blogs vs. columnists - so, why do newspapers hate us bloggers? (He's even managed to

Nosemonkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770646488422232541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5130211.post-1155199627862926542006-08-10T09:39:00.000+01:002006-08-10T12:11:35.186+01:00

Yesterday: Major terrorism policy announcement by Home Secretary John ReidToday: A 'plot to blow up planes' is apparently foiled, and Heathrow airport shut down.And my first reaction? Utter disbelief and a sigh of resignation.They've simply cried wolf too many times before - until I see the smoke I won't believe them, and even then I'll have my suspicions. Remember the tanks at Heathrow just

Nosemonkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770646488422232541noreply@blogger.com51tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5130211.post-1155053036434380202006-08-08T16:37:00.000+01:002006-08-10T11:39:35.126+01:00

Following Tim, Justin and (most comprehensively) Unity, I've had a bash at those Janet Street-Porter and Yasmin Alibhai-Brown articles on blogging from the other week, in the Press Gazette (out Thursday, apparently with a lovely piccy of yours truly...)Thursday update: The comment facility has been fixed.

Nosemonkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770646488422232541noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5130211.post-1154866591159797012006-08-06T12:43:00.000+01:002006-08-06T13:50:50.226+01:00

Somewhat busy...Neeka has a roundup of Ukraine news responses in the wake of President Yuschenko teaming up with ex-President Yanukovych (the guy who supposedly poisoned him). Surely the Orange Revolution is dead? Is this simply yet another temporary alliance, a last-minute cop-out, or another sign of Yuschenko's slow fall from power?It's not just Ukraine, though. The rest of eastern Europe's

Nosemonkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770646488422232541noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5130211.post-1154534931220123252006-08-02T17:05:00.000+01:002006-08-02T17:08:51.386+01:00

The New Yorker - Amateur Hour:"To live up to its billing, Internet journalism has to meet high standards both conceptually and practically: the medium has to be revolutionary, and the journalism has to be good. The quality of Internet journalism is bound to improve over time, especially if more of the virtues of traditional journalism migrate to the Internet. But, although the medium has great

Nosemonkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770646488422232541noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5130211.post-1154456068975510612006-08-01T18:14:00.000+01:002006-08-01T19:14:29.183+01:00

Yes, it's an obvious thing to slag off, but still, this new public terror threat nonsense is simply so predictably alarmist it's going to be delightfully easy to ignore. (Which is why, as one of those tediously obsessive bloggers you've all read so much about in the Guardian and Independent, I'm not going to.)Still, launching the thing on "severe"? That's so predictable it actually almost

Nosemonkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770646488422232541noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5130211.post-1154171436442910142006-07-29T12:02:00.000+01:002006-07-29T12:19:12.143+01:00

That McKeating is rather good on newspaper columnists, blogs and the like. I may expound on this myself at some point, beyond my mere interjections in the comments there.From what I can tell, we're beginning to see a new phase emerge in the media's response to blogs. From "hey, cool - blogs prove that EVERYONE wants to be a journalist, and therefore we're skill", they're beginning to realise that

Nosemonkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770646488422232541noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5130211.post-1154082882617610332006-07-28T10:30:00.000+01:002006-07-28T11:57:35.756+01:00

The Department for the Environment, Foor and Rural Affairs (Defra) under Margaret Beckett - now off fixing the Middle East as Condoleeza Rice's bitch Britain's Foreign Secretary - has repeatedly cocked up farm subsidy payments through an ongoing mismanagement that could yet bugger up the struggling agricultural sector even more than did the same department's balls-ups over BSE, Foot and Mouth and

Nosemonkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770646488422232541noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5130211.post-1154004955791861072006-07-27T13:52:00.000+01:002006-07-27T13:55:55.816+01:00

We must ban Britain's most popular daily newspaper, and we must ban it now: Sun kills 60,000 a year, says WHO:"Laura-Jane Armstrong, cancer information officer at Cancer Research UK, said: "This report provides clear evidence of the dangers of over-exposure to the sun".

Nosemonkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770646488422232541noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5130211.post-1153994312838620022006-07-27T10:17:00.000+01:002006-07-27T10:59:34.653+01:00

Rachel's had more bad luck, seemingly losing or having her passport stolen at the 7th July memorial service (which she attended, if you're coming in late, due to being only a few feet away from the King's Cross bomb) - which she's only just discovered, meaning she's likely to miss her long-planned, long-overdue holiday.Justin's had an idea, Mat's provided a template (though better to come up with

Nosemonkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770646488422232541noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5130211.post-1153914535250724532006-07-26T12:01:00.000+01:002006-07-26T12:49:29.646+01:00

OK, so they've got a set of identical twins running the country - unusual, but not necessarily mad - yet they do seem to be ushering in some potentially worrying electoral changes and acting somewhat vindictively towards political opponents.Now Poland - the largest and likely most important of the new EU member states who joined two years ago - appears to be shifting away from Brussels. This

Nosemonkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770646488422232541noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5130211.post-1153860634688148962006-07-25T21:19:00.000+01:002006-07-26T10:47:41.676+01:00

I've been tagged to list my five favourite "social media" sites. These are, apparently, "the online tools and platforms that people use to share opinions, insights, experiences, and perspectives with each other. Social media can take many different forms, including text, images, audio, and video." As such, and largely because of that New Media Awards thing I went to last night meaning I've been

Nosemonkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770646488422232541noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5130211.post-1153834225078761912006-07-25T13:59:00.000+01:002006-07-25T14:34:46.113+01:00

(Although I think that should technically read "New Statesman New Media Awards report", but that contains rather too many "New"s, especially as neither the magazine nor the awards really are.)Anyway, as Guido's still hungover, Paul got lost, Katie vanished, Tim missed his train, Recess Monkey seemed too busy with his ethics advisor (yes, really), Alan is no doubt busy with "work", and Jonn hasn't

Nosemonkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770646488422232541noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5130211.post-1153608093968581222006-07-22T23:40:00.000+01:002006-07-22T23:41:33.986+01:00

We want to hear from you.

Nosemonkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770646488422232541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5130211.post-1153483245305006112006-07-21T12:56:00.000+01:002006-07-21T13:00:45.320+01:00

Yesterday Home Secretary John Reid announced an end to lenient punishments for people who are caught red-handed and own up to being guilty of breaking the law.Today, John Prescott excapes punishment for being caught red-handed in breaching the ministerial code because he owned up to it.Erm...

Nosemonkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770646488422232541noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5130211.post-1153395424463946702006-07-20T12:34:00.000+01:002006-07-20T12:37:04.476+01:00

Via Tim and Justin, a welcome new addition to UK online political comment, with the Independent's Simon Carr launching a blog-style parliamentary sketch site. Very promising thus far, though sadly no comment facility as of yet...

Nosemonkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770646488422232541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5130211.post-1153393406375904782006-07-20T11:23:00.000+01:002006-07-20T12:19:00.063+01:00

I've long been convinced that a sizable amount of the anger generated by EU legislation is due more to the British government's own implementation than the legislation itself. In the UK, we always seem to implement directives and other Brussels-generated laws far more stringently than our continental cousins, following things to the letter rather than taking a more flexible approach.Now, however,

Nosemonkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770646488422232541noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5130211.post-1153304038733861602006-07-19T10:57:00.000+01:002006-07-19T13:16:49.276+01:00

Petite Anglaise has been sacked for writing her award-winning blog (or "gross misconduct", as they called it) - and has launched a test case before an employment tribunal claiming compensation of two years' salary. The Telegraph has more, as does (of all places) The Gulf Times.It has to be said, I can't see her winning this one - you write a blog at work, using work computers, in breach of

Nosemonkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770646488422232541noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5130211.post-1153170908174333172006-07-17T22:05:00.000+01:002006-07-17T22:15:08.323+01:00

Following last Wednesday's worrying Ukraine update, more rather concerning analysis from Scott at Foreign Notes:"in a country where there is no rule of law, and Kushnaryov’s statement that they would install Yanukovych as PM no matter what the president did is just more evidence of this, it matters who controls the buildings. If you control the right buildings you control the bureaucracy, the

Nosemonkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770646488422232541noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5130211.post-1153141840491255372006-07-17T13:31:00.000+01:002006-07-17T14:10:40.713+01:00

One of the perennial problems for an aspiring UK Prime Minister is the need to juggle domestic popularity with workable international relationships - especially with our EU partners. Because if you're seen to suck up too much to the French and Germans, the rantings of the eurosceptic press combined with a public all too willing to believe that the EU is the root of all evil will swiftly ensure a

Nosemonkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770646488422232541noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5130211.post-1153055759009196422006-07-16T13:31:00.000+01:002006-07-16T14:15:59.206+01:00

I've finally got around to a mini-update of the blogroll after months of stagnation (which has left a whole raft of good bloggers like Gavin Ayling, the NHS Blog Doctor, Iain Dale and Davide Simonetti, some of whom I've been reading for well over a year, along with top-notch new projects from the likes of Unity and Bondwoman languishing forgotten). I blame my brief experiment with RSS feeds.I've

Nosemonkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770646488422232541noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5130211.post-1152812790887805742006-07-13T18:25:00.000+01:002006-07-13T18:46:31.406+01:00

Hurrah for John McDonnell, who seems to be about to set himself up as a stalking horse candidate for the inevitable post-Blair leadership election. Precisely what he's intending will remain unclear until the official announcement tomorrow, and it sadly looks like there's a good chance he's not actually trying to provoke an election at the next party conference, merely to ensure that Gordon

Nosemonkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770646488422232541noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5130211.post-1152789335595637612006-07-13T12:06:00.000+01:002006-07-13T12:19:55.406+01:00

As chaos continues all around, spare a thought for less glamourous scandals than ID cards, police mergers and the arrest of the government's Middle East Envoy (at a time when a fresh war is breaking out between Israel and Lebanon).Pensions are boring, no one understands the things and we all ignore them. They are, however, rather important. This, therefore, is somewhat interesting - especially

Nosemonkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770646488422232541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5130211.post-1152720825863075612006-07-12T17:02:00.000+01:002006-07-12T17:13:49.123+01:00

Is the Labour project in total freefall? As it emerges that Lord Levy, the party's chief fundraiser and chap in the ermine robe at the heart of the loans scandal, has been arrested, could we also have a new Hutton on our hands as the body of a former colleague of one of the "Natwest Three", due to be extradited to the US thanks to a bad treaty constantly again defended by Blair, is discovered?

Nosemonkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770646488422232541noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5130211.post-1152703725257607802006-07-12T12:02:00.000+01:002006-07-12T12:28:45.383+01:00

For those who haven't been keeping up, Ukraine's Orange Revolution of November 2004 - optimistically and wildly inaccurately lauded at the time as a triumph of democracy over the forces of post-Soviet repression - has had rather a rocky time of it over the last year and a half. It was all so easy to see the scenes in Kiev all those months ago as a repeat of the fall of the Berlin Wall. But, as

Nosemonkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770646488422232541noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5130211.post-1152635983477525222006-07-11T17:36:00.000+01:002006-07-11T17:39:43.496+01:00

As the all-powerful ID card scheme faces possible delays, would you look at that? "News" emerges that "Organised fraudsters tried to steal more than half a billion pounds from the government's tax credit system in 2005/06". So as doubts about the desirability of a government scheme touted to tackle fraud begin to become widespread and public, the government releases alarmist figures to support

Nosemonkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770646488422232541noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5130211.post-1152624852989498822006-07-11T14:05:00.000+01:002006-07-11T14:34:13.216+01:00

1) Find out problem via leak to national newspaper2) Issue denial3) Have former Home Secretary who everyone hates slag the decision off4) Face media storm5) Wait a few months, then capitualte once everyone's started looking the other way.(Cf. tuition fees, top-up fees, on the spot fines, prison overcrowding, Blunkett leaving office, Clarke leaving office, ID cards, police force mergers, etc. etc.

Nosemonkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770646488422232541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5130211.post-1152289405818637482006-07-07T17:21:00.000+01:002006-07-07T17:23:25.836+01:00

Good news for the end of the week: Berlusconi to be tried for fraud. And, please note,"Lawyer David Mills, the estranged husband of British Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell, has also been ordered to stand trial."

Nosemonkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770646488422232541noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5130211.post-1152282398621875732006-07-07T15:25:00.000+01:002006-07-07T15:26:38.636+01:00

Something utterly non-political to lighten the mood:

Nosemonkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770646488422232541noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5130211.post-1152264100476941782006-07-07T09:28:00.000+01:002006-07-07T14:20:27.963+01:00

It is 9:20am on Friday 7th July 2006. At this time on Thursday 7th July 2005, I had been hunting around the interweb for quarter of an hour, trying to find out whether the bang that I'd heard tell of was anything sinister. It soon became clear that it was. Meanwhile, across London, Rachel, Holly, Steve, Mitch, Bumble Bee, Hamish, Weaselbitch, Yorkshire Lass, Andrew and countless others were

Nosemonkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770646488422232541noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5130211.post-1152182059378261182006-07-06T11:26:00.000+01:002006-07-06T12:37:16.453+01:00

Friend of Europhobia Alan Connor has done a nice summary of the state of the political interweb in the UK for the BBC's The Daily Politics - along with lovely little video clips where his cheeky face crops up in all kinds of glamorous locations, from Speakers' Corner to outer space (for some reason). For newcomers to blogland it's a handy introduction (plus puts me in the linklog category, a

Nosemonkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770646488422232541noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5130211.post-1152178246476303612006-07-06T09:42:00.000+01:002006-07-06T10:30:46.626+01:00

Had I gone to some press junket as I was supposed to, rather than head home to watch the France/Portugal game (fairly tedious), I would have been within easy assassination distance of Margaret Thatcher last night. I have failed in my duty.(Even though I'm actually one of those annoying people who thinks Thatcher did more good than bad - but ssssshhhh! I'm supposed to be a bit of a lefty,

Nosemonkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770646488422232541noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5130211.post-1152090436366580042006-07-05T09:51:00.000+01:002006-07-05T10:55:39.906+01:00

As Russia's lovely, cuddly Vladimir Putin throws his weight around on the international stage, the BBC has been offering the chance to pose questions for the corrupt, dictatorial ex-KGB nutter via its Have Your Say Forums.It must be said, judging by the "readers recommended" comments the Russians have learned a fair amount about astroturfing - whole teams of agents desperately signing up with BBC

Nosemonkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770646488422232541noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5130211.post-1152019613839505652006-07-04T10:55:00.000+01:002006-07-04T14:27:01.026+01:00

Ever heard of that? Me neither, and - like the majority of UK political bloggers - I'm a geek about these things.A google search turns up nothing, yet here's a report from Morley Today, the website of the Morley Observer & Advertiser, a wee rag from up north as far as I can make out, which seems to suggest that the government is spending yet more of our money on a low-profile propaganda trek

Nosemonkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770646488422232541noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5130211.post-1151918876016152512006-07-03T09:41:00.000+01:002006-07-03T10:35:46.953+01:00

As if by magic, as England get booted out of the World Cup and the country basks in a heatwave, all sorts of New Labour unpleasantness has bubbled to the surface once more, the stench cunningly hidden by the reek of booze-addled mourners. (Note to Blair: Beckham resigned as Captain in a timely manner in order to enable his successor plenty of time to settle into the job before the next major

Nosemonkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770646488422232541noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5130211.post-1151415805077804932006-06-27T14:41:00.000+01:002006-06-27T14:43:25.093+01:00

That chap McKeating mocks former Home Secretary Charles Clarke so I don't have to. The final paragraph is absolutely spot on...

Nosemonkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770646488422232541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5130211.post-1151314003719741792006-06-26T09:39:00.000+01:002006-06-26T10:26:43.793+01:00

Tories pledge 'cheap, meaningless stunt', otherwise known as David Cameron continuing to ride the civil liberties bandwaggon with the promise of a "US-style" Bill of Rights for the UK in place of the Human Rights Act.There are a fair few problems with this plan - aside from the fact that Britain already has a Bill of Rights (even though the 1689 version has been amended countless times, promised

Nosemonkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770646488422232541noreply@blogger.com10