Monday, July 10, 2006
By election
In local news, there is to be a by election in the Brentwood Rural Division for Essex County Council. More details here. In case you live in the relevant division, I'd urge you to vote on Thursday.
Wednesday, July 05, 2006
Pots and kettles
Chelsea are complaining about an illegal approach to Arjen Robben by Real Madrid.
Perhaps when they've removed the planks from their eyes they'd care to send them to me so I can make a new shed.
Perhaps when they've removed the planks from their eyes they'd care to send them to me so I can make a new shed.
7/7 one year on....
We're now approaching the first anniversary of the 7/7 bombings, and my mind goes back to this time last year. It was the Thursday of my first week back after the wedding, and as I reached Stratford I heard an announcement that the tubes at Liverpool Street were delayed "due to an explosion in the tunnel". On arrival at work twenty minutes later, I was told that Stratford Station had also been closed. Since then I've moved jobs, and very occassionally (when it's pouring rain) take the train from Liverpool Street to Aldgate along the very part of the track where the bomb went off. Am I concerned? Yes. Do I still make the trip? Only if it's raining - otherwise in general, it's not worth the £1.50 it costs to take the train.
The Brentwood Gazette today has a front page story about the father of one of the victims expressing his concern that it will happen again. Interestingly, he doesn't blame the government nor does it change his view on supporting the Iraq War. This must be a very tough time for him and his family and I hope that on Friday he can remember all the happy times he had with his daughter. He will certainly be in my thoughts and prayers.
The Brentwood Gazette today has a front page story about the father of one of the victims expressing his concern that it will happen again. Interestingly, he doesn't blame the government nor does it change his view on supporting the Iraq War. This must be a very tough time for him and his family and I hope that on Friday he can remember all the happy times he had with his daughter. He will certainly be in my thoughts and prayers.
Sunday, July 02, 2006
More on ID cards
It's always nice to get comments on your blog (shows someone out there is actually reading it who isn't my wife).
The comment is on my last posting about ID cards suggesting that the Australians are also pushing ID cards.
Am I the only one who finds it ironic that the US alone within the alliance in Iraq appears to also be the only country not pushing ID cards. That's right - George W Bush is the leader who isn't pushing for ID cards.
The comment is on my last posting about ID cards suggesting that the Australians are also pushing ID cards.
Am I the only one who finds it ironic that the US alone within the alliance in Iraq appears to also be the only country not pushing ID cards. That's right - George W Bush is the leader who isn't pushing for ID cards.
Thursday, June 29, 2006
Authoritarian Labour
An excellent article in the Independent today about the rather authoritarian nature of the current government. Perhaps there's hope yet on ID cards not getting through before the next election - surely between the Conservatives, the Liberals and the Labour rebels it should be possible to defeat this proposal.
Wednesday, June 21, 2006
Another big man dies in Ireland
Where as Charles Haughey was controversial, so was Monsignour Denis Faul who died today. I was always aware of him as a man who never shied from speaking his mind, and who was willing to condemn unequivocally the violence on both sides of the Northern Irish divide.
Requiem Eternam dona eis Domine, et lux perpertua luceat eis.
By the way, the Hutton and Shenfield Choral Society will be performing Mozart's Requiem and some Bruckner Motets on July 8th in Chelmsford Cathedral. Come along and support the arts.
Requiem Eternam dona eis Domine, et lux perpertua luceat eis.
By the way, the Hutton and Shenfield Choral Society will be performing Mozart's Requiem and some Bruckner Motets on July 8th in Chelmsford Cathedral. Come along and support the arts.
Why I am now opposed to the EU constitution
I'm not a euro sceptic. I'm not opposed to the European Union, and I do think the EU has an important role to play in the future development. Until recently, I would described myself as pro-Europe.
During the second referendum on the Nice treaty in Ireland, I was active in the Yes camp - to the extent that I made the case in discussion with friends and canvassed on the door steps in my hometown to get people to vote Yes to the treaty. This despite the fact I didn't even have a vote. I did this despite the No vote in the first referendum, because of my belief that the real problem first time out was that the Yes voters stayed home. In that sense, my decision was vindicated, as the actual number of No votes cast barely moved (529,478 in the first referendum as opposed to 534,887 in the second, yet the result went from 55% - 45 % against to 63 % - 37% in favour of the treaty). The results proved that the claims of euro sceptic groups like the Bruges Group that the original result showed "the people of Ireland have unequivably rejected the Nice Treaty"[sic] was plain wrong.
Things have changed in the intervening four years since the referendum - I've moved to England, and the EU Constitution was introduced and rejected by the Dutch and the French in referenda. The British, who were promised a referendum by Tony Blair, and the Irish, who have to a referendum under the terms of their own constitutions, haven't had a chance to vote. I was always concerned about the concept of a constitution - that's the sort of things states have, and I don't want the EU to become a Federal State. The Constitution was almost impossible to read, as opposed to the Irish or US Constitutions. Now, we have a constitution, rather surprisingly carved out at the end of the Irish presidency with much backslapping amongst the Irish media at the role Bertie Ahern had had in brokering a compromise. Despite that, the referendum was well beaten in the two countries already mentioned, and there they don't have the excuse that Ireland had with Nice in 2001 - namely a low turnout.
One other thing really bothered - the decision of the European Commission to over rule the European Parliament vote on software patents. Regardless of the rights or wrongs of the issue (and I am opposed to software patents) for an un elected body to simply disregard the ruling of an elected body on an EU wide issue is fundamentally undemocratic.
After the "defeat" of Nice in Ireland in 2001, Romano Prodi said that the EU would listen and reflect on what the Irish voters had said. This has turned out to be complete hogwash - despite the votes against the EU Constitution, EU Ministers seem to be determined to push ahead with it. There is a story from this week on the BBC News site in which the Prime Minister is quoted as saying it would be wrong to rule out the return of the Treaty.
I can no longer continue to support an institution with senior officials who think democracy is something inconvenient and to be ignored when the people decide they want to slow things down. Cameron is absolutely right - this is an ex Constitution. Bereft of life, it is no more. And it is time for the EU leadership to accept that fact.
During the second referendum on the Nice treaty in Ireland, I was active in the Yes camp - to the extent that I made the case in discussion with friends and canvassed on the door steps in my hometown to get people to vote Yes to the treaty. This despite the fact I didn't even have a vote. I did this despite the No vote in the first referendum, because of my belief that the real problem first time out was that the Yes voters stayed home. In that sense, my decision was vindicated, as the actual number of No votes cast barely moved (529,478 in the first referendum as opposed to 534,887 in the second, yet the result went from 55% - 45 % against to 63 % - 37% in favour of the treaty). The results proved that the claims of euro sceptic groups like the Bruges Group that the original result showed "the people of Ireland have unequivably rejected the Nice Treaty"[sic] was plain wrong.
Things have changed in the intervening four years since the referendum - I've moved to England, and the EU Constitution was introduced and rejected by the Dutch and the French in referenda. The British, who were promised a referendum by Tony Blair, and the Irish, who have to a referendum under the terms of their own constitutions, haven't had a chance to vote. I was always concerned about the concept of a constitution - that's the sort of things states have, and I don't want the EU to become a Federal State. The Constitution was almost impossible to read, as opposed to the Irish or US Constitutions. Now, we have a constitution, rather surprisingly carved out at the end of the Irish presidency with much backslapping amongst the Irish media at the role Bertie Ahern had had in brokering a compromise. Despite that, the referendum was well beaten in the two countries already mentioned, and there they don't have the excuse that Ireland had with Nice in 2001 - namely a low turnout.
One other thing really bothered - the decision of the European Commission to over rule the European Parliament vote on software patents. Regardless of the rights or wrongs of the issue (and I am opposed to software patents) for an un elected body to simply disregard the ruling of an elected body on an EU wide issue is fundamentally undemocratic.
After the "defeat" of Nice in Ireland in 2001, Romano Prodi said that the EU would listen and reflect on what the Irish voters had said. This has turned out to be complete hogwash - despite the votes against the EU Constitution, EU Ministers seem to be determined to push ahead with it. There is a story from this week on the BBC News site in which the Prime Minister is quoted as saying it would be wrong to rule out the return of the Treaty.
I can no longer continue to support an institution with senior officials who think democracy is something inconvenient and to be ignored when the people decide they want to slow things down. Cameron is absolutely right - this is an ex Constitution. Bereft of life, it is no more. And it is time for the EU leadership to accept that fact.
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