In future, the Government may monitor blogs in order to keep abreast of public opinion.
Today Iain Dale notes Simon Dickson's surprise that Helen Boaden of BBC fame reads Dale's blog. But it isn't just the bigwigs of the BBC who are monitoring the "web-atariat"
Soon the machinery of Government will get in on the act, providing briefings to Ministers and key civil servants on what blogs are saying about the issue of the day.
You have been warned - Big Blogger is watching you...
Wednesday, August 15
Stupid bankers
News today that a bank in Second Life, the virtual reality game, has closed due to insolvency following a ban on gambling inside the game.
The bank could not meet demands for withdrawals after last month's ban, prompting a banking crisis.
All very weird.
The bank could not meet demands for withdrawals after last month's ban, prompting a banking crisis.
All very weird.
Monday, August 13
The wrong side of the moon
Proof, if proof be needed, that making an ass of yourself doesn't pay...
A Belfast student is in an African prison for allegedly "mooning" at the home of a Senegalese governor.Patrick Devine, 19, from County Donegal, was arrested on 27 July for allegedly dropping his trousers as a dare in Saint Louis in Senegal.
Source: BBC
Thursday, August 9
Photo of the day - Fat Cats
The BBC sometimes have bizarre "In Pictures" items. None more so than this gallery of 'fat cats'.
But our favourite was this one of "gin cat"...
Wednesday, August 8
Has Mark Oaten gone mad?
Is a fresh bout of baldness turning the disgraced former Lib Dem home affairs spokesperson into a lunatic?
Winchester MP, Mark Oaten, is to use BBC Radio 4's Hecklers programme in order to suggest all prisons be demolished and replaced with care homes and schools - or some such rubbish.
Whilst the importance of offender rehabilitation should not be underestimated, the whole purpose of a criminal justice system is to ensure that crimes against fellow citizens go punished.
Putting ALL criminals into hospital will not provide the deterrent that exists with the threat of imprisonment.
Getting to say what you think is all very well, Mr Oaten, unless what you've got to say is a load of unworkable crap...
Update:
Just received the Guardian's Backbencher email which has the following curious titbit:
Winchester MP, Mark Oaten, is to use BBC Radio 4's Hecklers programme in order to suggest all prisons be demolished and replaced with care homes and schools - or some such rubbish.
Whilst the importance of offender rehabilitation should not be underestimated, the whole purpose of a criminal justice system is to ensure that crimes against fellow citizens go punished.
Putting ALL criminals into hospital will not provide the deterrent that exists with the threat of imprisonment.
Getting to say what you think is all very well, Mr Oaten, unless what you've got to say is a load of unworkable crap...
Update:
Just received the Guardian's Backbencher email which has the following curious titbit:
ON TV AND RADIO THIS WEEK
Tonight, 8pm, R4: Hecklers
Mark Oaten argues we should abolish all prisons. Curious, really, because only a month ago he asked in a written question how many prisoners would be released from Winchester jail under the earlyrelease scheme in the next 12 months. The Backbencher can only assumehe wanted to highlight the merits of the scheme for the benefit ofhis own constituents. [emphasis added]
Tuesday, August 7
Arriva Derci
Sir Tom Cowie, life President of the Arriva Group, has today suggested he will no longer financially support the Conservatives.
Cowie, who has donated £630,000 since 2001, blames David Cameron's "arrogant" style of leadership for the move.
Yet it is his comments on why he is no Gordon Brown fan that I find intriguing. He says:
Cowie, who has donated £630,000 since 2001, blames David Cameron's "arrogant" style of leadership for the move.
Yet it is his comments on why he is no Gordon Brown fan that I find intriguing. He says:
"I am very angry about him taking £500 a week in extra taxes on my pension and what has David Cameron done about it, absolutely nothing ... how would you feel if you are 85 and you suddenly had £500 a week taken away from you?"Well Sir Tom, if I was an 85 year old who could afford to give the Conservatives donations at a rate of £2000 per week over a six year period then I suppose £500 in extra taxes wouldn't amount to a great hill of beans...
Monday, August 6
Foot in Mouth
A friend just sent this transcript of an interview to me on the foot and mouth "crisis"....
Aforementioned friend works for Sky news, so the veracity of the transcript has yet to be established...
BBC radio interviewer: "It must have come as a real shock to wake up to the news this morning?"
Local Tory MP: "Not really. I heard about it on Sky news last night."
Long pause...
Aforementioned friend works for Sky news, so the veracity of the transcript has yet to be established...
Sunday, August 5
Boris for Mayor?
Boris Johnson's application form to be the Conservative's candidate for London Mayor shows exactly why he shouldn't get the job.
For example, under a question titled "Examples of Challenges Faced", Boris writes:
Exactly why this makes him qualified to be Mayor eludes me.
Red Ken may be - well - too red for me. But at least he has vision and purpose - something lacking thus far in Boris' bid to be the most powerful man in London.
Boris is undoubtedly a funny person. But he should stick to Have I Got News For You. As Mayor, it wouldn't just be Boris who is a laughing stock - it'd be the whole of London too.
For example, under a question titled "Examples of Challenges Faced", Boris writes:"Negotiating Hyde Park corner by bicycle. Outcome: survival"
Exactly why this makes him qualified to be Mayor eludes me.
Red Ken may be - well - too red for me. But at least he has vision and purpose - something lacking thus far in Boris' bid to be the most powerful man in London.
Boris is undoubtedly a funny person. But he should stick to Have I Got News For You. As Mayor, it wouldn't just be Boris who is a laughing stock - it'd be the whole of London too.
That sinking feeling
News today that Cameron bailed on his former Kensington home just months before serious subsidence issues occurred.
I suppose the logical question is whether he will be employing that strategy with the Conservative Party if things continue to go awry....
I suppose the logical question is whether he will be employing that strategy with the Conservative Party if things continue to go awry....
Friday, August 3
Who are you kidding, Gordon?
Gordon Brown suggests that the UK is the best place in the world to go on holiday.
Not sure we would agree with that, Mr Brown...
Not sure we would agree with that, Mr Brown...
Cabinet 'media tarts' for July
Recreating Iain Dale's Media Tarts for the Cabinet reveals a few surprises.
The table below shows the hits on Factiva - a similar resource to Lexis-Nexis - for the Cabinet for July.
A few points of note:
The table below shows the hits on Factiva - a similar resource to Lexis-Nexis - for the Cabinet for July.
A few points of note:
- Hilary Benn's position at 11th is interesting, as it suggests that Gordon Brown has been the figurehead for much of the flooding issue which dominated the headlines throughout July. Similarly, Hazel Blears - the new Communities Secretary - has received little media attention this month depsite the flooding issue.
- Perhaps Douglas Alexander and Lord Malloch-Brown should have received more attention for their comments on the "special relationship" between the US and the UK.
- Alistair Darling at 4th defies the lack of announcements from his department in the last month.
| 1 | Gordon Brown | 4622 |
| 2 | Jacqui Smith | 532 |
| 3 | David Miliband | 472 |
| 4 | Alistair Darling | 463 |
| 5 | Ed Balls | 349 |
| 6 | Jack Straw | 302 |
| 7 | Alan Johnson | 221 |
| 8 | Douglas Alexander | 212 |
| 9 | Ruth Kelly | 210 |
| 10 | Harriet Harman | 201 |
| 11 | Hilary Benn | 195 |
| 12 | Hazel Blears | 191 |
| 13 | Yvette Cooper | 174 |
| 14 | Des Browne | 170 |
| 15 | The Lord Malloch-Brown | 166 |
| 16 | John Hutton | 139 |
| 17 | Tessa Jowell | 137 |
| 18 | James Purnell | 133 |
| 19 | Peter Hain | 126 |
| 20 | Ed Miliband | 114 |
Taxing times
The Liberal Democrat's proposals to add another £10 fuel surcharge to internal flights should be grounded.
Chris Huhne, the Liberal Democrat spokesperson for the environment, says that this would raise £12bn over 5 years which would be reinvested into alternative, and more fuel efficient forms of transport - rail for example. Their argument is that by raising tax, internal flights would be curbed, which is good for the environment.
However, this sort of tax measure puts the cart before the horse.
Introducing this sort of blunt instrument will not, as the Lib Dems suggest, have a material impact upon the amount of people taking internal flights. Flying between London and Edinburgh, say, is not a strict substitute with taking the train - there are many advantages to taking the plane, of which one is the cost.
But in order to substitute away from air travel into rail travel, the quality of service, speed and reliability need to be increased in advance of the increase in tax.
Otherwise the introduction of the tax will in all likelihood be absorbed by the travelling public and will amount to little more than a revenue raising instrument, thereby failing as a serious Pigouvian tax.
Chris Huhne, the Liberal Democrat spokesperson for the environment, says that this would raise £12bn over 5 years which would be reinvested into alternative, and more fuel efficient forms of transport - rail for example. Their argument is that by raising tax, internal flights would be curbed, which is good for the environment.
However, this sort of tax measure puts the cart before the horse.
Introducing this sort of blunt instrument will not, as the Lib Dems suggest, have a material impact upon the amount of people taking internal flights. Flying between London and Edinburgh, say, is not a strict substitute with taking the train - there are many advantages to taking the plane, of which one is the cost.
But in order to substitute away from air travel into rail travel, the quality of service, speed and reliability need to be increased in advance of the increase in tax.
Otherwise the introduction of the tax will in all likelihood be absorbed by the travelling public and will amount to little more than a revenue raising instrument, thereby failing as a serious Pigouvian tax.
