The coveted Christmas number one has been won five times in the last six years by a contestant of The X factor. Some of those artists have never been heard of since and were manufactured, fake and not all that good at best. Shayne Ward started the trend in 2005 with That's my goal, before fading into obscurity. Only 2009's Rage against the machine interrupted the run after an online campaign to upset Simon Cowell's fame machine.
This year looked to be heading the same way with the latest X factor winner, the interesting and undoubtedly talented James Authur. We are of course, yet to see if he has the longevity to survive longer than his predecessors. I suspect he will. That talent and the X factor machine was not enough to get Mr Authur to number 1.
That went to a song that was first a hit over 40 years ago. He aint heavy (he's my brother), first recorded by Manchester band The Hollies in 1969 was rehashed and recorded by a group of ex footballers and singers including Robbie Williams and the ever annoying Paul Mcartney under the name The justice collective, with proceeds going to the families of the 96 men women and children that perished in the Hillsborough disaster.
Recently cleared of all blame on the day, the families are now seeking new inquest verdicts after the original verdicts were quashed. The government is to pay all legal costs and have ordered a new enquiry so that what happened in 1989 may be re examined.
The government, transparently desperate to show themselves as the friendly, nice party, announced they would also waive VAT on the charity single.
Now, this may be quite an unfashionable opinion, and one that may indeed cause offence to some band waggon ambushing, holier than thou, police hating idiots, but I thought the last enquiry with its trumpet blowing fanfare finale meant justice at last.
The truth is that we will never know what actually happened on that day. No matter how much money we throw at endless investigations and enquiry's, we will not get to the truth because the screeching U turns of the media and the government, who once crucified the Liverpool fans, have enshrined Liverpool football club as one beyond criticism. But there will be no smoking gun. Police officers on duty that day, the medical staff on duty that day, retired politicians and disgraced newspaper editors have all been blamed rather than acknowledge the public's perception of Liverpool fans in 1989.
Is it possible that the reason those 96 football fans died was simply a massive group of coincidences amounting to a massive slice of horrifically bad luck ? In a time when health and safety was far less enforced than today, is surprising that the state of the stadium contributed to the disaster?
In a time when the Police of South Yorkshire were sadly oh too familiar with facing highly charged situations after years of picket lines and striking Coalminers, is it impossible to imagine how they might possibly have misread the carnage on that day and assumed that Liverpool fans, who at that time enjoyed a certain notoriety, after helping English clubs get banned from Europe with their involvement in the Heysel stadium.
Surely, we are not surprised that some over zealous newspaper editors filled their boots at the chance to point the finger. The appalling Kelvin Mckenzie should be absolutely ashamed of himself for the lies he printed and yet, he appears to be simply untouched by the pain he caused to so many already devastated families. That said, the recent Leveson debacle should have made us unshockable by the depths that newspapers will stoop to sell copies.
There have been calls for verdicts of manslaughter being returned against the police officers on duty that day, and hope David Cameron is brave enough to resist that avenue. The events of that day were a compilation of misjudgements of biblical proportions that will inevitably, eventually result in huge compensation payments to the families from our kind caring government.
I feel there are some more pertinent issues that need the immediate attention of the home secretary, the chancellor and the Prime Minister.
Not least of all the lack of growth, the increasing poverty and general unhappiness being experienced by thousands of families up and down the country due entirely to decisions made by the government. It is ironic that one of the lines of Xmas number 1, He aint heavy reads "his welfare is my concern, no burden is he to bear" .
We are not falling for it Mr Cameron. No matter how much money and good will you throw at 96 Liverpudlian families , the rest of the country knows that the Tory party party is the nasty party.
Where Labour tried to get rid of poorness, the Tory lead government seems intent on getting rid of the poor.
Saturday 29 December 2012
Tuesday 18 December 2012
Christmas Yule Blog
'Twas the week before Christmas and all across the land, members of Parliament were voting on whether to sell hard fought for employment rights down the river in exchange for for a few pieces of silver,..
No, this isn't Victorian England, it is modern day.
Ebenezer Osbourne announced in his Autumn statement plans to surge ahead with his attack on working people.
His idea is that businesses can offer potential employees as little as £2000 worth of shares in exchange for certain rights such as maternity pay or the right to appeal if unfairly dismissed. This Osbourn claims is fair, and will help the economy. It clearly is not. It is a direct attack on the rights of working people. Something that the Tory government is hell bent on doing. They want businesses to be able to sack workers easily to maximise profits for business owners, many of whom are donors to the Conservative party.
The Tory lead government want to enable companies to not recruit people who refuse to give up their rights.
If they get their way employers will be free to fire any one who doesn't play ball. Anyone who voices concern about health and safety or working conditions will simply be released paving the way for bullying , harassment and a return to Victorian work house conditions. Is this progress?
Osbourne also announced in his statement that benefits increases will be capped at 1%. As inflation is at 2.7% this in real terms a cut of more than 1%. The Tory's claim is that this also is fair , attempting to paint a picture of strivers going out to work in the dark in a morning while benefits claimants wallow in bed until lunch time then get up to watch Jeremy Kyle on their massive Televisions. Again, this claim is simply not true. We have all heard these stories but the reality is that they are the exception not the norm and 60% of the people affected by the cut in benefits will be the strivers on low pay going out to work. The government lies to the electorate in the hope that we are stupid enough to believe the propaganda of the very rich. It is a blatant attempt to divide the nations working people and none working. They want to divide the north ans south of the country. they want to divide private sector and public sector . They want to divide us so we are vulnerable because they know together they will not get back in power.
The coalition is cutting housing benefit, cutting working tax credit cutting police numbers and cutting services across the board that the very poorest rely on while cutting tax for the very richest.
These cuts are not in the interest of the country and will not stimulate growth. They have no real plans to help our economy recover but instead are determined to forge ahead with ideological plans that were designed in the halls of Eton . If they are allowed to do it they will ruin the future of a generation.
They intend to rob workers of any protection and rob the unemployed of any dignity.
Luckily, Saint Nick is on hand to save us. Deputy PM Nick Clegg described the benefits assault as draconian. I would go further than that. They are the spiteful, arrogant plans of men who were born to lead in their view, even though barely any of them have ever had an actual job. this why they do not understand the real world. It is easy for someone who has never been employed to say we don't need employment rights. it is easy for someone who has never been on a council estate to say those people don't deserve services. it is easy for someone who has never been without money to say that shirkers don't deserve any.
They are out of touch with the rest of us to such an extent that their policies seem bewildering to people who are directly affected those policies. Us the voters, the public, the strivers and the shirkers. The public sector , the private sector the poor and the very poor. we must all stand together and never allow the Tories to wreak havoc on society again
'Twas the week before Christmas and all across the land, members of Parliament were voting on whether to sell hard fought for employment rights down the river in exchange for for a few pieces of silver,..
No, this isn't Victorian England, it is modern day.
Ebenezer Osbourne announced in his Autumn statement plans to surge ahead with his attack on working people.
His idea is that businesses can offer potential employees as little as £2000 worth of shares in exchange for certain rights such as maternity pay or the right to appeal if unfairly dismissed. This Osbourn claims is fair, and will help the economy. It clearly is not. It is a direct attack on the rights of working people. Something that the Tory government is hell bent on doing. They want businesses to be able to sack workers easily to maximise profits for business owners, many of whom are donors to the Conservative party.
The Tory lead government want to enable companies to not recruit people who refuse to give up their rights.
If they get their way employers will be free to fire any one who doesn't play ball. Anyone who voices concern about health and safety or working conditions will simply be released paving the way for bullying , harassment and a return to Victorian work house conditions. Is this progress?
Osbourne also announced in his statement that benefits increases will be capped at 1%. As inflation is at 2.7% this in real terms a cut of more than 1%. The Tory's claim is that this also is fair , attempting to paint a picture of strivers going out to work in the dark in a morning while benefits claimants wallow in bed until lunch time then get up to watch Jeremy Kyle on their massive Televisions. Again, this claim is simply not true. We have all heard these stories but the reality is that they are the exception not the norm and 60% of the people affected by the cut in benefits will be the strivers on low pay going out to work. The government lies to the electorate in the hope that we are stupid enough to believe the propaganda of the very rich. It is a blatant attempt to divide the nations working people and none working. They want to divide the north ans south of the country. they want to divide private sector and public sector . They want to divide us so we are vulnerable because they know together they will not get back in power.
The coalition is cutting housing benefit, cutting working tax credit cutting police numbers and cutting services across the board that the very poorest rely on while cutting tax for the very richest.
These cuts are not in the interest of the country and will not stimulate growth. They have no real plans to help our economy recover but instead are determined to forge ahead with ideological plans that were designed in the halls of Eton . If they are allowed to do it they will ruin the future of a generation.
They intend to rob workers of any protection and rob the unemployed of any dignity.
Luckily, Saint Nick is on hand to save us. Deputy PM Nick Clegg described the benefits assault as draconian. I would go further than that. They are the spiteful, arrogant plans of men who were born to lead in their view, even though barely any of them have ever had an actual job. this why they do not understand the real world. It is easy for someone who has never been employed to say we don't need employment rights. it is easy for someone who has never been on a council estate to say those people don't deserve services. it is easy for someone who has never been without money to say that shirkers don't deserve any.
They are out of touch with the rest of us to such an extent that their policies seem bewildering to people who are directly affected those policies. Us the voters, the public, the strivers and the shirkers. The public sector , the private sector the poor and the very poor. we must all stand together and never allow the Tories to wreak havoc on society again
Saturday 1 December 2012
This week showed once again just how out of touch the government is, not just with the public but with itself. David Cameron and Nick Clegg failed to agree with each other about the long anticipated Leveson report. The year long enquiry, which cost a reported £3million, called for statutory underpinning. Earlier, Cameron said he would follow any suggestions from Judge Leveson, as long they were not bonkers.. He went on to acknowledge and accept everything he said, except the need to legislate. Deputy Prime minister, Nick Clegg said he agreed that we need legislation as did Labour leader Ed Miliband.
The lack of action from Cameron has left many people wondering what was the point in having the enquiry at all? Month after month we saw celebrity victims turning up to the enquiry. Stars of TV, film and music as well as politicians and newspaper editors gave evidence. Some of the people who gave evidence are now more well known for the hacking scandal than their chosen professions. One might say that the press and the enquiry have done a lot to raise awareness of certain people rather than damaging them.
Clearly we need laws that protect innocent members of the public from being falsely accused and hounded by the press . Those laws already exist. A stricter more robust governing body needs to be in control of the press and the newspaper owners. Mr Murdoch, News international and some of the other News papers have had far too much power to wield for far too long. This needs to be addressed immediately before the next general election so that politicians can get on with what they are paid to do rather than having to worry about cosying up to the papers. Self regulation is not an option but nor should be the option of government regulating the only people that can really hold them to accountability. The people to regulate the press and media generally should be us the tax payers, the licence fee payers, subscription fee payers and paper buyers. It may take a little bit of statute to ensure the governing body had the necessary powers or the press could simply chose to ignore. How hard can it be to set up. We have public bodies that govern schools, we have 12 members of the public deciding the fate of people in court when they sit on a jury. We should in my view use similar models to govern the press.
Prime minister David Cameron seems to be adopting the strategy of doing nothing quite a lot lately. Last week, when the church decided it would not allow women to become bishops, Cameron said its not for government to tell the church what to do.
Yes it is! If the church breaks the law it should not be exempt. Equality laws exist to protect everybody and every institution that employs people has to abide by those laws. Every institution except the church apparently. What message does Mr Cameron think it sends to other religions, if we say oh its fine, their religious beliefs conflict with that law so they don't have to obey? If we allow religions to not obey some laws where do we draw the line? There have been child molestation accusations covered up by religion. There have been murders and torture in the name of religion.
Mr Cameron should have said to the church, if you want the right to practise your religion in our country then you abide by the laws of this country. Comply or die.
The head of the church is the Queen of England. How arrogant is it of Bishops, who incidentally sit in the house of Lords passing judgement on the laws of this country, to say we don't have to follow those rules.
The Bishops should be barred from the house of Lords and the church should be fined until it falls in line with modern society. It is so far out of date that they probably think we should have ducking stools for suspected witches. If God in heaven created us all equal who the hell do the bishops think they are to say women are not worthy of the top jobs.
The lack of action from Cameron has left many people wondering what was the point in having the enquiry at all? Month after month we saw celebrity victims turning up to the enquiry. Stars of TV, film and music as well as politicians and newspaper editors gave evidence. Some of the people who gave evidence are now more well known for the hacking scandal than their chosen professions. One might say that the press and the enquiry have done a lot to raise awareness of certain people rather than damaging them.
Clearly we need laws that protect innocent members of the public from being falsely accused and hounded by the press . Those laws already exist. A stricter more robust governing body needs to be in control of the press and the newspaper owners. Mr Murdoch, News international and some of the other News papers have had far too much power to wield for far too long. This needs to be addressed immediately before the next general election so that politicians can get on with what they are paid to do rather than having to worry about cosying up to the papers. Self regulation is not an option but nor should be the option of government regulating the only people that can really hold them to accountability. The people to regulate the press and media generally should be us the tax payers, the licence fee payers, subscription fee payers and paper buyers. It may take a little bit of statute to ensure the governing body had the necessary powers or the press could simply chose to ignore. How hard can it be to set up. We have public bodies that govern schools, we have 12 members of the public deciding the fate of people in court when they sit on a jury. We should in my view use similar models to govern the press.
Prime minister David Cameron seems to be adopting the strategy of doing nothing quite a lot lately. Last week, when the church decided it would not allow women to become bishops, Cameron said its not for government to tell the church what to do.
Yes it is! If the church breaks the law it should not be exempt. Equality laws exist to protect everybody and every institution that employs people has to abide by those laws. Every institution except the church apparently. What message does Mr Cameron think it sends to other religions, if we say oh its fine, their religious beliefs conflict with that law so they don't have to obey? If we allow religions to not obey some laws where do we draw the line? There have been child molestation accusations covered up by religion. There have been murders and torture in the name of religion.
Mr Cameron should have said to the church, if you want the right to practise your religion in our country then you abide by the laws of this country. Comply or die.
The head of the church is the Queen of England. How arrogant is it of Bishops, who incidentally sit in the house of Lords passing judgement on the laws of this country, to say we don't have to follow those rules.
The Bishops should be barred from the house of Lords and the church should be fined until it falls in line with modern society. It is so far out of date that they probably think we should have ducking stools for suspected witches. If God in heaven created us all equal who the hell do the bishops think they are to say women are not worthy of the top jobs.
Friday 16 November 2012
With Panto season almost upon us, the nation went to bed last night buzzing with excitement as though it was Christmas Eve, overwhelmed at what we might get the next day. Like little Timmy Cratchet, I'm afraid, we woke up to disappointment.
The election for Police commissioners was the Tory concept touted as slashing the ties between government and the police, offering transparency and independence and a stronger mandate than the unelected police authorities that the PCC replaces. What it delivered was a mandate for corruption with less than 20% of the electorate bothering to vote and all the main parties putting forward candidates.
The result was 15 Tory commissioners, 13 Labour and 11 independents.
The system used in the vote meant that some of the candidates who got most 1st choice votes, still did not win having had to get 50% of the vote to win the 1st round. Amongst those who got more votes in the first round but failed to secure the position was Labour veteran Lord Prescott, losing to his Tory counterpart in Humberside.
The vast majority of people did not vote because they knew nothing about the candidates. With hardly any campaigning to speak of and little coverage in the press, it may as well have been a closed ballot carried out in Westminster.
If David Cameron really wanted a fair and honest partisan free election then he should have ensured a level playing field for the candidates.
I was told by one candidate that his campaign cost around £200 while other splashed tens of thousands on the campaign trail. Some independent candidates were forced to pull out of the race unable to compete with the funding demands. The deposit alone was £500.
Yet again, rather than trying to find the best person for the job, we got the ones who could afford the job.
Only half a dozen of those elected were women.
Are we really to believe that a Tory candidate PCC in a Tory constituency under a Tory lead government, wont be influenced by the party?
The much criticised election could if done differently, have given us leaders for our under fire police officers, answerable to the electorate, responsible for running the force as the public demands. What we are likely to get is Party puppets doing as they are instructed by the party whips.
The one positive to come out of the fiasco is the number of independents who have been successful. They at least one would hope will not be swayed or pressured by political party lines, although one wonders how many have stood to further political ambitions. Presumably however, the independents who have succeeded are already wealthy or influential or well connected enough to not necessarily have the interest of the public at heart.
Of course, i am being cynical, and there will be some successful candidates who have not simply bought the position and who do have honourable intentions.
While I wish them the very best in the role, history does inevitably tell us that even the well intentioned, principled, moral individuals soon change their point of view and invariably loose their morals when they achieve the power they craved.
I hope that if Labour succeed at the next general election, they scrap the idea and have a proper fit for purpose way of running our police. A system not run by the village of Westminster, a system run by and answerable to us the tax payer that is about to pay £100,000 per annum to some of those elected in yeststerdays police farce.
The election for Police commissioners was the Tory concept touted as slashing the ties between government and the police, offering transparency and independence and a stronger mandate than the unelected police authorities that the PCC replaces. What it delivered was a mandate for corruption with less than 20% of the electorate bothering to vote and all the main parties putting forward candidates.
The result was 15 Tory commissioners, 13 Labour and 11 independents.
The system used in the vote meant that some of the candidates who got most 1st choice votes, still did not win having had to get 50% of the vote to win the 1st round. Amongst those who got more votes in the first round but failed to secure the position was Labour veteran Lord Prescott, losing to his Tory counterpart in Humberside.
The vast majority of people did not vote because they knew nothing about the candidates. With hardly any campaigning to speak of and little coverage in the press, it may as well have been a closed ballot carried out in Westminster.
If David Cameron really wanted a fair and honest partisan free election then he should have ensured a level playing field for the candidates.
I was told by one candidate that his campaign cost around £200 while other splashed tens of thousands on the campaign trail. Some independent candidates were forced to pull out of the race unable to compete with the funding demands. The deposit alone was £500.
Yet again, rather than trying to find the best person for the job, we got the ones who could afford the job.
Only half a dozen of those elected were women.
Are we really to believe that a Tory candidate PCC in a Tory constituency under a Tory lead government, wont be influenced by the party?
The much criticised election could if done differently, have given us leaders for our under fire police officers, answerable to the electorate, responsible for running the force as the public demands. What we are likely to get is Party puppets doing as they are instructed by the party whips.
The one positive to come out of the fiasco is the number of independents who have been successful. They at least one would hope will not be swayed or pressured by political party lines, although one wonders how many have stood to further political ambitions. Presumably however, the independents who have succeeded are already wealthy or influential or well connected enough to not necessarily have the interest of the public at heart.
Of course, i am being cynical, and there will be some successful candidates who have not simply bought the position and who do have honourable intentions.
While I wish them the very best in the role, history does inevitably tell us that even the well intentioned, principled, moral individuals soon change their point of view and invariably loose their morals when they achieve the power they craved.
I hope that if Labour succeed at the next general election, they scrap the idea and have a proper fit for purpose way of running our police. A system not run by the village of Westminster, a system run by and answerable to us the tax payer that is about to pay £100,000 per annum to some of those elected in yeststerdays police farce.
Saturday 3 November 2012
In July this year I wrote to Labour MP Denis Macshane, responding to his suggestion that we should have 10% working class MP's. I emailed his constituency office asking how it would work and I sent him a link to this blog.
He ignored both.
Yesterday he resigned from his post as Member of Parliament for Rotherham, after being found to have submitted 19 false invoices, which the enquiry said were intended to deceive.
In total Mr MacShane wrongly claimed £7500, which he has since paid back.
Before becoming an MP, Mr Macshane was a journalist, working for the BBC. He was sacked by the BBC after pretending to be a caller on a radio show he worked on. He went on to be an activist for the Journalists union.
His career in politics saw him represent Rotherham for almost twenty years during which time he was Labours Europe Minister for three years.
When announcing his resignation yesterday he said he was shocked at the findings of the enquiry and realised his political career was finished.
At a time when the public are crying out for honesty and transparency desperate for integrity, this does nothing to help the party or politics.
Denis Macshane is the not the first MP to have his career finished after submitting fraudulent expenses. In 2009 Jim Devine, Labour MP for Livingstone, was jailed for false accounting after claiming expenses dishonestly. Before being elected to parliament Devine was a full time union official.
In 2010 Labour MP David Chaytor was jailed for false accounting.
In 2011 Elliot Morley was jailed for claiming £30,000 in expenses for a mortgage he had already repaid. He entered politics after being head of special needs at a high school in Hull.
So what it is that makes men who so clearly care about the welfare of their fellow man, become so morally incontinent when they enter politics and have the opportunity to make a difference. They are so determined to stand up for what they believe in that they dedicate most of their lives to fighting injustice, seeking fairness, often at great personal expense in their private lives in their quest to gain the power needed to make that difference, only to abuse that power once they get it.
Lord Acton said in 1887 that Power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely. Over a century later this is still true.
At a time when almost every great British institution is in disrepute with the possible exception to the legal system, is it not time that we - the voters, demanded more integrity from our leaders and influencers.
( This point also highlights why it is so vital that our courts retain their authority, independent of Europe).
Latest figures show that crime is falling in this country, yet middle class indecency appears to be rampant.
The media has never been so under fire, after the appalling revelations about the Murdoch empire and the disgusting wide spread practise of phone hacking. More recently, even the BBC are being accused of been less than honest with the public, following the Savile abuse.
The way the press operates is under investigation by the Leveson enquiry, lead by a bunch of parliamentarians. The bitter fight between the middle class journalists and the middle class political elite has left us, the working class public with absolutely no one to trust.
I wonder if now Mr MacShane may have the time to reply to my email and show us how we can get more people from the moral classes into politics.
He ignored both.
Yesterday he resigned from his post as Member of Parliament for Rotherham, after being found to have submitted 19 false invoices, which the enquiry said were intended to deceive.
In total Mr MacShane wrongly claimed £7500, which he has since paid back.
Before becoming an MP, Mr Macshane was a journalist, working for the BBC. He was sacked by the BBC after pretending to be a caller on a radio show he worked on. He went on to be an activist for the Journalists union.
His career in politics saw him represent Rotherham for almost twenty years during which time he was Labours Europe Minister for three years.
When announcing his resignation yesterday he said he was shocked at the findings of the enquiry and realised his political career was finished.
At a time when the public are crying out for honesty and transparency desperate for integrity, this does nothing to help the party or politics.
Denis Macshane is the not the first MP to have his career finished after submitting fraudulent expenses. In 2009 Jim Devine, Labour MP for Livingstone, was jailed for false accounting after claiming expenses dishonestly. Before being elected to parliament Devine was a full time union official.
In 2010 Labour MP David Chaytor was jailed for false accounting.
In 2011 Elliot Morley was jailed for claiming £30,000 in expenses for a mortgage he had already repaid. He entered politics after being head of special needs at a high school in Hull.
So what it is that makes men who so clearly care about the welfare of their fellow man, become so morally incontinent when they enter politics and have the opportunity to make a difference. They are so determined to stand up for what they believe in that they dedicate most of their lives to fighting injustice, seeking fairness, often at great personal expense in their private lives in their quest to gain the power needed to make that difference, only to abuse that power once they get it.
Lord Acton said in 1887 that Power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely. Over a century later this is still true.
At a time when almost every great British institution is in disrepute with the possible exception to the legal system, is it not time that we - the voters, demanded more integrity from our leaders and influencers.
( This point also highlights why it is so vital that our courts retain their authority, independent of Europe).
Latest figures show that crime is falling in this country, yet middle class indecency appears to be rampant.
The media has never been so under fire, after the appalling revelations about the Murdoch empire and the disgusting wide spread practise of phone hacking. More recently, even the BBC are being accused of been less than honest with the public, following the Savile abuse.
The way the press operates is under investigation by the Leveson enquiry, lead by a bunch of parliamentarians. The bitter fight between the middle class journalists and the middle class political elite has left us, the working class public with absolutely no one to trust.
I wonder if now Mr MacShane may have the time to reply to my email and show us how we can get more people from the moral classes into politics.
Thursday 25 October 2012
Last night I came home mid way through a news programme on TV just as the presenter said, " young people trusted him,they were betrayed, he did evil things to young children. He did awful things to the elderly and now he is no longer with us.." My immediate thought was - has Nick Clegg resigned? Alas, they were talking of course about Jimmy Savile. Clegg remains in post.
Last weekend Rio Ferdinand, Anton Ferdinand, Jason Roberts and several other black footballers refused to wear anti racism campaign kick it out shirts. They were angry at the lack of action by the campaign, particularly the F A's inconsistent punishments handed out to players found guilyt of racism , such as former England captain John Terry and Liverpool's Louis Suarez..
Some players have said the organisation has not done enough to combat racism in the game; but just how much can this tiny organisation do?
The football League quickly responded that it could not afford to fund the campaign.
The Premier league donates about 0.1% of the money it raises from Tv to the campaign.
Kick it out has an annual budget of about £450,000.
If the premier league wants to stamp racism out of the game, it needs to take drastic action, now. They should put some proper money behind it and put some rules in place. Force clubs to fine players found guilty of racism and give the proceeds of the fine to the campaign. As i have called for previously, clubs should be sacking employees for discrimination or racist abuse just like any other walk of life.
Professional footballers live a very privileged life, the likes of which most of us can only dream of. They are paid massive amounts of money to play a game they love and enjoy all the trappings of fame and hero worship we can throw at them. Rio Ferdinand is rumoured to earn £125,000 each week.
If he wants to make a real difference, not just to football, but the lives of many many black men and women who suffer racism and discrimination daily, he should put his hand in his bulging wallet and help fund it.
Chelsea football club has an annual wage bill of around £172m, Manchester United pay in region of £150m - the wage bill for the premier league is over a billion pounds each year.
Surely, with those obscene amounts of money been given to the starts of the game, they could easily afford to give vast amounts of cash to support the under fire organisation.
In a previous blog, i called for the likes of Clarke Carlisle and the governors of the game to step up to plate and force proper action from clubs and players. The PFA the FA, FIFA, and all its its top representatives need to acknowledge that there is still a huge issue with racism in the game, and face it head on. Denials and down playing is not working. Expecting a tiny, poorly funded organisation like kick it out to eradicate the problem by educating at grass roots level and leaning slightly on the FA is suicidal for the game.
This country's National game's reputation is in danger of being worse than it was in the 1980's. Players banned for racism, fans jailed for assaulting players on the field, and Revelations about Hillsborough has dragged the football in this country right back to the gutter. It is down to its millionaire participants to rescue it rather than being the victims of it.
Last weekend Rio Ferdinand, Anton Ferdinand, Jason Roberts and several other black footballers refused to wear anti racism campaign kick it out shirts. They were angry at the lack of action by the campaign, particularly the F A's inconsistent punishments handed out to players found guilyt of racism , such as former England captain John Terry and Liverpool's Louis Suarez..
Some players have said the organisation has not done enough to combat racism in the game; but just how much can this tiny organisation do?
The football League quickly responded that it could not afford to fund the campaign.
The Premier league donates about 0.1% of the money it raises from Tv to the campaign.
Kick it out has an annual budget of about £450,000.
If the premier league wants to stamp racism out of the game, it needs to take drastic action, now. They should put some proper money behind it and put some rules in place. Force clubs to fine players found guilty of racism and give the proceeds of the fine to the campaign. As i have called for previously, clubs should be sacking employees for discrimination or racist abuse just like any other walk of life.
Professional footballers live a very privileged life, the likes of which most of us can only dream of. They are paid massive amounts of money to play a game they love and enjoy all the trappings of fame and hero worship we can throw at them. Rio Ferdinand is rumoured to earn £125,000 each week.
If he wants to make a real difference, not just to football, but the lives of many many black men and women who suffer racism and discrimination daily, he should put his hand in his bulging wallet and help fund it.
Chelsea football club has an annual wage bill of around £172m, Manchester United pay in region of £150m - the wage bill for the premier league is over a billion pounds each year.
Surely, with those obscene amounts of money been given to the starts of the game, they could easily afford to give vast amounts of cash to support the under fire organisation.
In a previous blog, i called for the likes of Clarke Carlisle and the governors of the game to step up to plate and force proper action from clubs and players. The PFA the FA, FIFA, and all its its top representatives need to acknowledge that there is still a huge issue with racism in the game, and face it head on. Denials and down playing is not working. Expecting a tiny, poorly funded organisation like kick it out to eradicate the problem by educating at grass roots level and leaning slightly on the FA is suicidal for the game.
This country's National game's reputation is in danger of being worse than it was in the 1980's. Players banned for racism, fans jailed for assaulting players on the field, and Revelations about Hillsborough has dragged the football in this country right back to the gutter. It is down to its millionaire participants to rescue it rather than being the victims of it.
Thursday 18 October 2012
Yesterdays unemployment figures were welcomed in parliament by a smug David Cameron shouting across the dispatch box to Labour leader Ed Miliband that he should make himself comfortable because "we are going nowhere". Typical Cameron, gloating over his success while millions are still unemployed and there are more damning cuts yet to come.
As the rich get richer and the poor get poorer, the smug just keep getting smugger. Is he and his millionaires cabinet really so out of touch with reality that they believe we are stupid enough to believe him?
While he continues to pursue his idealistic attacks on benefits, workers rights and the elderly, the well who who bankroll his party are looking forward to £40,000 tax breaks next April. In comparison, many people living in poverty on council houses will be preparing to be taxed for having spare bedrooms.
The new bedroom tax will see families with two same sex children under the age of 16,living in a 3 bedroom house, losing 10% of their housing benefits.Families with a boy and a girl under the age of 10 living in a 3 bedroom house will also be told that they are under crowded. Couples of working age, whose children have left home will lose even more. Which ever way you look at this policy it will only affect the poorest people in society.
Changes later next year will see the introduction of universal credits to replace the present system. This will mean one single payment for all benefits paid into an account of one house holder. Claimants, many of whom may never even have previously had a bank account, let alone had to budget, could suddenly find they have hundreds of pounds in cash. Housing benefit is currently paid direct to councils or housing associations, and yet there is still thousands of pounds of arrears. These arrears will inevitably increase when tenants are expected to pay the rent them selves. Payday Loan companies will be rubbing their hands together with glee as debt and hardship will undoubtedly increase. The idea according to Ian Duncan Smith, the failed former Tory leader who created the universal credit, is to prepare people for work.
By that they mean forcing people to take work that is low paid and potentially in poor working conditions if the government press on with plans to virtually scrap workers rights and health and safety regulations.
The increase in employment is thanks mainly to part time poorly paid jobs and will probably be short lived as many of them will have been seasonal temporary jobs created by events such as the London Olympics. While Cameron brags of the lowest unemployment figures in 15months 10% of Yorkshire remain out of work. Further North the figures are worse.
Cameron's project is simply to crush the poor in the North and sacrifice everything to save his beloved London. As he battles to save the banks and businesses in the city, he stands by and watches the rest of the country simply decay. The North east of England has suffered mass unemployment and hardship for years, caused by decisions made down south.
The bankers and high rollers in the capital caused their own downfall through greed and selfishness, while the poor in the rest of the country are expected to foot the bill for bailing them out.
Industry in the North is confined to history as the government harp on and and on about a third runway at Heathrow or high speed rail links to the capital.
Why not invest some of those billions it would cost to protect the city of London and the borough of Westminster in the rest of England.
Why not pump money into building more houses. Not just affordable houses, council houses. Affordable houses are no use to any one if the cannot afford to eat.
Fix the roads, build houses, regenerate the thousands of communities crippled by years of neglect from governments past and present. Instead of making statements about changes to planning to boost building projects, put the cash up. Mass house building by local authorities funded by central government would put workers back to work, and young people who have never had a chance, the opportunity for apprenticeships and skill learning that will benefit generations to come.
With those building sites would come money been spent in local economies and get people off their back side and restore some dignity and pride to the rest of the country that Cameron, Clegg, Osbourn and co seem so determined to send to damnation.
As the rich get richer and the poor get poorer, the smug just keep getting smugger. Is he and his millionaires cabinet really so out of touch with reality that they believe we are stupid enough to believe him?
While he continues to pursue his idealistic attacks on benefits, workers rights and the elderly, the well who who bankroll his party are looking forward to £40,000 tax breaks next April. In comparison, many people living in poverty on council houses will be preparing to be taxed for having spare bedrooms.
The new bedroom tax will see families with two same sex children under the age of 16,living in a 3 bedroom house, losing 10% of their housing benefits.Families with a boy and a girl under the age of 10 living in a 3 bedroom house will also be told that they are under crowded. Couples of working age, whose children have left home will lose even more. Which ever way you look at this policy it will only affect the poorest people in society.
Changes later next year will see the introduction of universal credits to replace the present system. This will mean one single payment for all benefits paid into an account of one house holder. Claimants, many of whom may never even have previously had a bank account, let alone had to budget, could suddenly find they have hundreds of pounds in cash. Housing benefit is currently paid direct to councils or housing associations, and yet there is still thousands of pounds of arrears. These arrears will inevitably increase when tenants are expected to pay the rent them selves. Payday Loan companies will be rubbing their hands together with glee as debt and hardship will undoubtedly increase. The idea according to Ian Duncan Smith, the failed former Tory leader who created the universal credit, is to prepare people for work.
By that they mean forcing people to take work that is low paid and potentially in poor working conditions if the government press on with plans to virtually scrap workers rights and health and safety regulations.
The increase in employment is thanks mainly to part time poorly paid jobs and will probably be short lived as many of them will have been seasonal temporary jobs created by events such as the London Olympics. While Cameron brags of the lowest unemployment figures in 15months 10% of Yorkshire remain out of work. Further North the figures are worse.
Cameron's project is simply to crush the poor in the North and sacrifice everything to save his beloved London. As he battles to save the banks and businesses in the city, he stands by and watches the rest of the country simply decay. The North east of England has suffered mass unemployment and hardship for years, caused by decisions made down south.
The bankers and high rollers in the capital caused their own downfall through greed and selfishness, while the poor in the rest of the country are expected to foot the bill for bailing them out.
Industry in the North is confined to history as the government harp on and and on about a third runway at Heathrow or high speed rail links to the capital.
Why not invest some of those billions it would cost to protect the city of London and the borough of Westminster in the rest of England.
Why not pump money into building more houses. Not just affordable houses, council houses. Affordable houses are no use to any one if the cannot afford to eat.
Fix the roads, build houses, regenerate the thousands of communities crippled by years of neglect from governments past and present. Instead of making statements about changes to planning to boost building projects, put the cash up. Mass house building by local authorities funded by central government would put workers back to work, and young people who have never had a chance, the opportunity for apprenticeships and skill learning that will benefit generations to come.
With those building sites would come money been spent in local economies and get people off their back side and restore some dignity and pride to the rest of the country that Cameron, Clegg, Osbourn and co seem so determined to send to damnation.
Thursday 11 October 2012
Last October thousands of people lined the streets to pay tribute to the late Sir Jimmy Savile. Sir Jimmy, considered by many a National treasure, was the former star of pirate radio and the very first host of TVs Top of the pops. Probably best known for making kids' dreams come true on Jim'll fix it, Sir Jimmy was rumoured to have raised £40million for charity and was knighted in 1990.
Just twelve short months later it seems there were also better kept rumours about Savile throughout his career.
It has emerged that rumours of child abuse followed Savile for decades. Apparently, it was well known in television and radio that the fund raiser liked to keep the company of young girls.
The BBC, the self appointed highest authority in the land, "auntie beeb" as it was known for years, is accused of covering up the rumours to protect its star.
A long list of celebrity journalists and presenters have come forward to say that they knew of the rumours. Some claim to have seen the vile behaviour first hand, some even claim to have been victims.
Janet Street Porter, one of the Best known and influential women journalists of the last 30 years, told BBC question time last week that she heard the rumours years ago. She went on to say she did not push the issue or report Mr Saville because she feared no one would listen.
If the vile accusations aimed at Saville are true, his actions were the despicable atrocities of a disgusting, manipulative predator who abused his position and abused the trust that the people of this country had bestowed upon him.
I have long been of the opinion that paedophiles are evil, sick nasty bullying animals, but also that they are ill and possibly cannot help themselves when faced with temptation. What some of them manage to do is avoid that temptation and not put themselves in a position where they will be near vulnerable children.
What Jimmy Saville managed to do, is build his life around them and build a reputation so untouchable that he could use his trust to violate the innocent children whom he was supposed to be serving.
What Saville is accused of may never be proven as the accused is no longer able to defend himself.
If the likes of Janet Street Porter and her colleagues had showed some courage, perhaps Sir Jimmy could have been held to account.
It is morally obscene that these people chose to say nothing while Savile was alive in order to further or maintain their own careers. They had a morale and professional obligation as journalists and as human beings to step in and protect the children that Savile and his seedy circle of depraved friends including twice convicted paedophile Gary Glitter, preyed upon. It is appalling to think that in order to survive in the industry these people simply ignored the shocking and outrageous behaviour of one of TVs best kept dirty secret.
The victims were not only betrayed by the people who assaulted and raped them, but they were betrayed and sacrificed by the people who turned a blind eye. Guilt should not simply lay at the door of Gary Glitter and the dead fund raiser. Those that looked the other way or tolerated the shocking behaviour should feel deeply ashamed for their part in the years of abuse.
Glitter faces arrest again for his connections to the allegations but who else will face charges? Sir Jimmy is in danger of posthumously losing his knighthood. If the stories are true then he deserved to lose his freedom and his dignity, as he took away the dignity of the children he took advantage of.
The BBC should be investigated thoroughly, and if they are found to have covered up the criminal actions of its employees, they should be fined massively and who ever made the decision to cover up the actions should face prosecution.
Several well known female presenters have claimed they were molested by other well known celebrities, some of whom may still be in positions of respect, trust and privilege. This is simply unacceptable and the people involved need to be rooted out and named and shamed and prosecuted. It is not sufficient to suggest that there was a culture back then that was it OK to do those things. It was not.
Just twelve short months later it seems there were also better kept rumours about Savile throughout his career.
It has emerged that rumours of child abuse followed Savile for decades. Apparently, it was well known in television and radio that the fund raiser liked to keep the company of young girls.
The BBC, the self appointed highest authority in the land, "auntie beeb" as it was known for years, is accused of covering up the rumours to protect its star.
A long list of celebrity journalists and presenters have come forward to say that they knew of the rumours. Some claim to have seen the vile behaviour first hand, some even claim to have been victims.
Janet Street Porter, one of the Best known and influential women journalists of the last 30 years, told BBC question time last week that she heard the rumours years ago. She went on to say she did not push the issue or report Mr Saville because she feared no one would listen.
If the vile accusations aimed at Saville are true, his actions were the despicable atrocities of a disgusting, manipulative predator who abused his position and abused the trust that the people of this country had bestowed upon him.
I have long been of the opinion that paedophiles are evil, sick nasty bullying animals, but also that they are ill and possibly cannot help themselves when faced with temptation. What some of them manage to do is avoid that temptation and not put themselves in a position where they will be near vulnerable children.
What Jimmy Saville managed to do, is build his life around them and build a reputation so untouchable that he could use his trust to violate the innocent children whom he was supposed to be serving.
What Saville is accused of may never be proven as the accused is no longer able to defend himself.
If the likes of Janet Street Porter and her colleagues had showed some courage, perhaps Sir Jimmy could have been held to account.
It is morally obscene that these people chose to say nothing while Savile was alive in order to further or maintain their own careers. They had a morale and professional obligation as journalists and as human beings to step in and protect the children that Savile and his seedy circle of depraved friends including twice convicted paedophile Gary Glitter, preyed upon. It is appalling to think that in order to survive in the industry these people simply ignored the shocking and outrageous behaviour of one of TVs best kept dirty secret.
The victims were not only betrayed by the people who assaulted and raped them, but they were betrayed and sacrificed by the people who turned a blind eye. Guilt should not simply lay at the door of Gary Glitter and the dead fund raiser. Those that looked the other way or tolerated the shocking behaviour should feel deeply ashamed for their part in the years of abuse.
Glitter faces arrest again for his connections to the allegations but who else will face charges? Sir Jimmy is in danger of posthumously losing his knighthood. If the stories are true then he deserved to lose his freedom and his dignity, as he took away the dignity of the children he took advantage of.
The BBC should be investigated thoroughly, and if they are found to have covered up the criminal actions of its employees, they should be fined massively and who ever made the decision to cover up the actions should face prosecution.
Several well known female presenters have claimed they were molested by other well known celebrities, some of whom may still be in positions of respect, trust and privilege. This is simply unacceptable and the people involved need to be rooted out and named and shamed and prosecuted. It is not sufficient to suggest that there was a culture back then that was it OK to do those things. It was not.
Thursday 27 September 2012
In what should have been a quite week in politics, its hard to know where to start this week. At the risk of being predictable I cant help but start with "Gate Gate" or "pleb gate" as it was known. Andrew Mitchell, known un-affectionately within his party as Thrasher, allegedly called two police officers plebs. In what could have been a scene from TV satire The thick of it, were it not so unbelievabley insensative and arrogant, Mr Mitchell called the two PC's plebs and told the officers that they should know their place, that they did not run the country and that they had not heard the last of this. Ironic then that the story is still simmering on over a week later as certain members of all three parties have called for resignation.
To add insult to injury for the police force, amazingly this happened the day after the country was left shocked and disgusted at the cold blooded murder of two female officers.
The bullying deluded self importantance of the Tory whip not only highlighted how out of touch his party is, it proved once again just what terrible judgement Premier David Cameron has when he came out in support of Thrasher, saying that he believed his denial.
,
Last weekend Liverpool football club played their first home game since the revelations about the Hillsborough disaster were made public. In a brilliant spectacle of support before the game Patrick Evra and Louis Suarez took part in the tributes and shook hands putting the racism row behind them and the importance of the day before their own squabbles. Fans around the country paid tribute to the 96 men, women and children who lost their lives and supporters inside Anfield held up mosaics with the words "justice" and "truth". Sir Alex Ferguson called for respect from fans and asked the sick songs and chants that have blighted the game for years be stopped.The respect and behaviour of the United fans was impeccable. Sadly, once again at the end of the game a few mindless thugs ran to the Manchester fans and made gestures about the Munich disaster.
Why, even in what should have been a day of remembering, a day of support and togetherness echoing the words of the adopted Anfield anthem- you'll never walk alone, do the minority have to bring shame and disgust to the game?. It is that senseless minority that got English clubs banned from Europe in the 80's. It is that vile bunch that got Liverpool football club the reputation that doubtlessly contributed to the events and actions of the police and media at Hillsborough. Liverpool football club should ban these despicable people from the game. They should name them, shame them and ensure that the appalling aspect of the game is booted out for good.
Staying with football, John Terry was today banned for four games and fined £220,000 (less than two weeks wages) for racially abusing Anton Ferdinand.
Terry who was previously cleared of the charges in a court of law, stood down from the England team on the eve of his court appearance. The fine and ban are ludicrously light when compared to the ban Suarez was handed at Liverpool or Joey Bartons 12 game ban for his playground tantrum in the final game of last season.
The FA needs to have a good long look at itself and decide what message they are trying to end out.
For me the whole incident should have been put to bed months ago. Two spoilt millionaire footballers winding each other up playing the game that has given them such privileged lives, could have shaken hands and put it away long ago. Obviously, racism is wholly unacceptable but this debacle of a court case and an FA investigation has done the game more harm than good. Both players should be banned for season and fined massively for bringing the game into disrepute and refs should lay down the law and send players off when they hear any foul and abusive language . These idiots are role models to millions of kids and act as though they are Hollywood brats. Its time they and racism were kicked in to touch.
There is little duller in politics than Lib Dem part conference week, but these days the tree hugging, sandal wearing bearded hippies have been replaced by actual government ministers. Has this livened the conference up? No
A week of speeches that promise nothing and mean less are just a disguise for jostling for position in the race to replace doomed leader Nick Clegg. Vince Cable the clear favourite to be next party leader, must be rubbing his hands in delight as the highest ratings poll Clegg has managed in two years is in the pop charts after his sincere apology to students was mocked and chopped into a charity single. To his credit, Mr Clegg did allow his words to be used as long as Sheffield charities benefited from the proceeds. At last the Sheffield MP and deputy PM has done something for his constituents.
Meanwhile leader of the opposition Ed Miliband has been invisible for a couple of weeks only raising his head above the pit to say that churches that want to marry same sex couples should be allowed to do so.
Talking of the church, I thought almost all religions taught love and tolerance. So why is it that gay men and women are still treated as outcasts by most faiths? Religion- like governments, like society has to learn to adapt to changes in culture and attitude or die out. If they are to maintain any credibility they need to address issues of today not live by opinions formed in the dark ages.
I'm not just talking about Christian or Catholic faiths. There are millions of Muslims living in this country and their arrival on this island means we now live in multi cultural, multi belief, multi religion society. They only way these different worlds can get along in such a small place( the world), is by learning to understand, respect and tolerate the views of other humans.
No where in any of the faith books does it say it is acceptable to molest children. Nowhere does it say it acceptable to treat people who are different as though they are insects.No where does it say that it is acceptable to kill and bomb and burn people who we do not share an opinion with. I am not a church goer but i do not need a book to tell me that these things are simply wrong. I don't need to pray or flaunt symbols and badges to force my beliefs on others to know the difference between good and bad.
If Muslims and Catholics and Christians want to be accepted and wish to live beside each other then the violent extremists that overshadow the peace loving respectful majority must be eradicated and shown that some behaviours should not be be tolerated.
To add insult to injury for the police force, amazingly this happened the day after the country was left shocked and disgusted at the cold blooded murder of two female officers.
The bullying deluded self importantance of the Tory whip not only highlighted how out of touch his party is, it proved once again just what terrible judgement Premier David Cameron has when he came out in support of Thrasher, saying that he believed his denial.
,
Last weekend Liverpool football club played their first home game since the revelations about the Hillsborough disaster were made public. In a brilliant spectacle of support before the game Patrick Evra and Louis Suarez took part in the tributes and shook hands putting the racism row behind them and the importance of the day before their own squabbles. Fans around the country paid tribute to the 96 men, women and children who lost their lives and supporters inside Anfield held up mosaics with the words "justice" and "truth". Sir Alex Ferguson called for respect from fans and asked the sick songs and chants that have blighted the game for years be stopped.The respect and behaviour of the United fans was impeccable. Sadly, once again at the end of the game a few mindless thugs ran to the Manchester fans and made gestures about the Munich disaster.
Why, even in what should have been a day of remembering, a day of support and togetherness echoing the words of the adopted Anfield anthem- you'll never walk alone, do the minority have to bring shame and disgust to the game?. It is that senseless minority that got English clubs banned from Europe in the 80's. It is that vile bunch that got Liverpool football club the reputation that doubtlessly contributed to the events and actions of the police and media at Hillsborough. Liverpool football club should ban these despicable people from the game. They should name them, shame them and ensure that the appalling aspect of the game is booted out for good.
Staying with football, John Terry was today banned for four games and fined £220,000 (less than two weeks wages) for racially abusing Anton Ferdinand.
Terry who was previously cleared of the charges in a court of law, stood down from the England team on the eve of his court appearance. The fine and ban are ludicrously light when compared to the ban Suarez was handed at Liverpool or Joey Bartons 12 game ban for his playground tantrum in the final game of last season.
The FA needs to have a good long look at itself and decide what message they are trying to end out.
For me the whole incident should have been put to bed months ago. Two spoilt millionaire footballers winding each other up playing the game that has given them such privileged lives, could have shaken hands and put it away long ago. Obviously, racism is wholly unacceptable but this debacle of a court case and an FA investigation has done the game more harm than good. Both players should be banned for season and fined massively for bringing the game into disrepute and refs should lay down the law and send players off when they hear any foul and abusive language . These idiots are role models to millions of kids and act as though they are Hollywood brats. Its time they and racism were kicked in to touch.
There is little duller in politics than Lib Dem part conference week, but these days the tree hugging, sandal wearing bearded hippies have been replaced by actual government ministers. Has this livened the conference up? No
A week of speeches that promise nothing and mean less are just a disguise for jostling for position in the race to replace doomed leader Nick Clegg. Vince Cable the clear favourite to be next party leader, must be rubbing his hands in delight as the highest ratings poll Clegg has managed in two years is in the pop charts after his sincere apology to students was mocked and chopped into a charity single. To his credit, Mr Clegg did allow his words to be used as long as Sheffield charities benefited from the proceeds. At last the Sheffield MP and deputy PM has done something for his constituents.
Meanwhile leader of the opposition Ed Miliband has been invisible for a couple of weeks only raising his head above the pit to say that churches that want to marry same sex couples should be allowed to do so.
Talking of the church, I thought almost all religions taught love and tolerance. So why is it that gay men and women are still treated as outcasts by most faiths? Religion- like governments, like society has to learn to adapt to changes in culture and attitude or die out. If they are to maintain any credibility they need to address issues of today not live by opinions formed in the dark ages.
I'm not just talking about Christian or Catholic faiths. There are millions of Muslims living in this country and their arrival on this island means we now live in multi cultural, multi belief, multi religion society. They only way these different worlds can get along in such a small place( the world), is by learning to understand, respect and tolerate the views of other humans.
No where in any of the faith books does it say it is acceptable to molest children. Nowhere does it say it acceptable to treat people who are different as though they are insects.No where does it say that it is acceptable to kill and bomb and burn people who we do not share an opinion with. I am not a church goer but i do not need a book to tell me that these things are simply wrong. I don't need to pray or flaunt symbols and badges to force my beliefs on others to know the difference between good and bad.
If Muslims and Catholics and Christians want to be accepted and wish to live beside each other then the violent extremists that overshadow the peace loving respectful majority must be eradicated and shown that some behaviours should not be be tolerated.
Saturday 15 September 2012
Finally, after 23 years Liverpool fans have been cleared of all blame in the Hillsborough disaster. The damning report out this week revealed corruption at the top of the police force and highlighted just how despicable the Sun newspaper is and has always been. They printed lie after lie about innocent Liverpool supporters, accusing them of violence, theft, and other obscene behaviour which simply did not happen, on that day.
96 fans died on the 23 April 1989 and it was claimed in this weeks report that some of those may have survived if treated properly on the day. There are calls now for prosecutions.
Sir Irvine Patnick, a high profile Sheffield MP in '89 made comments to the press at the time, claiming that Liverpool fans were behaving badly on the day and that they were urinating on injured fans from above. There are calls now for his knighthood to be removed.
The police officer in charge that day is also now facing the possibility of criminal charges being brought against him.
It has also been revealed that the safety certificate had expired.
The cover up from police, media and the government in the aftermath of the disaster was appalling. It was absolutely inexcusable and someone must pay for that.
It is important however, to look at the events of that day from the other side. To appreciate the climate at that time, and decide whether the attitude of South Yorkshire Police was appropriate we need to remember what was happening in English football in 1989.
English clubs were serving a ban from European football in 1989.
We had been banned following a European Cup final between Italian giants Juventus and Liverpool.
On 29th May 1985 39 Juventus fans died and 600 were injured. Before the game Liverpool fans, many of whom allegedly turned up without tickets,smashing there way through a cinder block wall to gain access and rampaged through the Heysel stadium charging opposition fans causing a wall to collapse on them. Fourteen Liverpool fans were found guilty of manslaughter and imprisoned. UEFA banned all English clubs from European competition until 1990-91 season with Liverpool football club serving a further years ban.
Although the ban did not apply to the England national side, there was so much pressure on the government that they considered withdrawing from the world cup of 1990.
In the wake of incidents like this, and increasing hooliganism in domestic football, fences were erected at grounds around the country, to stop violent yobs invading the pitch or trying to reach opposing fans to fight.
While Liverpool fans in this country have campaigned relentlessly for justice, the rest of Europe has been less than sympathetic.
Juventus legend, Alessandro Del Piero chose to play in Australia this season rather than join the Anfield team, a decision his former agent says, is out of respect for the Heysel victims.
With tensions so high even today it is easy to see why Police in 1989, may have thought initially that the disaster was caused by hooligans.
Were it not for the image of the game being so tarnished at that time maybe the attention of clubs like Sheffield Wednesday would have been less focused on preventing violence and improving safety for genuine football supporters.
The very fences erected to prevent deaths were instrumental in the details of that day in 1989.
None of these things excuse the cover up and explain why no one has come forward with truth for 23 years.
None of these facts excuse the blatant lies published in the Sun newspaper.
There has been disgust at Police officers at the time checking the register to see if the dead had a criminal record. Those actions are more outrageous two decades later but in those dark days for English football it was an avenue that probably had to be investigated. That said, i can find no justification for breath testing the bodies of children to see if they had been drinking.
When looking to crucify someone for the carnage that day, we must take into account events like Heysel that came before.
I hope that now Liverpool's supporters have been cleared of any blame on that day at Hillsbrough, that we can draw a line in the sand and they will feel that at last truth prevailed.
I also hope that in the name of justice we don't seek revenge from everyone and anyone who was involved. Some people I'm sure acted with the best of intentions on that day and the days after it. I'm sure that many of the officers that day did save many more lives that could easily have added to the 96 that perished. They should not be tarred with the same brush as the people who deliberately deceived. Journalists who wrote comment at that time may have believed they were writing the genuine truth, They should not be held in the same light as the vile Kelvin Mckenzie who's apology this week was as insincere as they come.
MPs who were briefed by senior ministers but were not there at the ground, probably felt in those days that they were right to criticise fans.
Whoever pays the price ultimately, we need to ensure that this time we don't react to fashion and favour.
96 fans died on the 23 April 1989 and it was claimed in this weeks report that some of those may have survived if treated properly on the day. There are calls now for prosecutions.
Sir Irvine Patnick, a high profile Sheffield MP in '89 made comments to the press at the time, claiming that Liverpool fans were behaving badly on the day and that they were urinating on injured fans from above. There are calls now for his knighthood to be removed.
The police officer in charge that day is also now facing the possibility of criminal charges being brought against him.
It has also been revealed that the safety certificate had expired.
The cover up from police, media and the government in the aftermath of the disaster was appalling. It was absolutely inexcusable and someone must pay for that.
It is important however, to look at the events of that day from the other side. To appreciate the climate at that time, and decide whether the attitude of South Yorkshire Police was appropriate we need to remember what was happening in English football in 1989.
English clubs were serving a ban from European football in 1989.
We had been banned following a European Cup final between Italian giants Juventus and Liverpool.
On 29th May 1985 39 Juventus fans died and 600 were injured. Before the game Liverpool fans, many of whom allegedly turned up without tickets,smashing there way through a cinder block wall to gain access and rampaged through the Heysel stadium charging opposition fans causing a wall to collapse on them. Fourteen Liverpool fans were found guilty of manslaughter and imprisoned. UEFA banned all English clubs from European competition until 1990-91 season with Liverpool football club serving a further years ban.
Although the ban did not apply to the England national side, there was so much pressure on the government that they considered withdrawing from the world cup of 1990.
In the wake of incidents like this, and increasing hooliganism in domestic football, fences were erected at grounds around the country, to stop violent yobs invading the pitch or trying to reach opposing fans to fight.
While Liverpool fans in this country have campaigned relentlessly for justice, the rest of Europe has been less than sympathetic.
Juventus legend, Alessandro Del Piero chose to play in Australia this season rather than join the Anfield team, a decision his former agent says, is out of respect for the Heysel victims.
With tensions so high even today it is easy to see why Police in 1989, may have thought initially that the disaster was caused by hooligans.
Were it not for the image of the game being so tarnished at that time maybe the attention of clubs like Sheffield Wednesday would have been less focused on preventing violence and improving safety for genuine football supporters.
The very fences erected to prevent deaths were instrumental in the details of that day in 1989.
None of these things excuse the cover up and explain why no one has come forward with truth for 23 years.
None of these facts excuse the blatant lies published in the Sun newspaper.
There has been disgust at Police officers at the time checking the register to see if the dead had a criminal record. Those actions are more outrageous two decades later but in those dark days for English football it was an avenue that probably had to be investigated. That said, i can find no justification for breath testing the bodies of children to see if they had been drinking.
When looking to crucify someone for the carnage that day, we must take into account events like Heysel that came before.
I hope that now Liverpool's supporters have been cleared of any blame on that day at Hillsbrough, that we can draw a line in the sand and they will feel that at last truth prevailed.
I also hope that in the name of justice we don't seek revenge from everyone and anyone who was involved. Some people I'm sure acted with the best of intentions on that day and the days after it. I'm sure that many of the officers that day did save many more lives that could easily have added to the 96 that perished. They should not be tarred with the same brush as the people who deliberately deceived. Journalists who wrote comment at that time may have believed they were writing the genuine truth, They should not be held in the same light as the vile Kelvin Mckenzie who's apology this week was as insincere as they come.
MPs who were briefed by senior ministers but were not there at the ground, probably felt in those days that they were right to criticise fans.
Whoever pays the price ultimately, we need to ensure that this time we don't react to fashion and favour.
Friday 7 September 2012
Just what is it that makes the Tories hate unions so much? Is it fear or just contempt? At the end of the 80's more than 12 million workers were members of a trade union. Today, there are less than 6million, with a decline of half a million in the last four years. The TUC says this is due to a fall in employment. I suggest it is deeper than that.
Unions have become a dirty word.
David Cameron uses the accusation of "been in the pockets of the union", as though it is drug dealers money. Membership is synonymous with corruption. Union leaders like Len Mcluskey and Bob Crow are ridiculed and abused. But do they help themselves? No!
The trade unions of the 70's and 80's are extinct. It is no longer acceptable to down tools and drag everyone out at the drop of a hat. People these days expect services to continue regardless of the treatment of staff. People don't accept bad working conditions poor pay and pensions being raped under the disguise of fairness as an excuse to not having buses running.
We have become so pampered and selfish that we begrudge any one workers having better pay. We seek to look out for number one and sod every one else.
This just plays into the hands of business leaders and government and does nothing for workers.
Thatchers Tories stripped the unions of the real power that they formerly enjoyed, and Francis Maude wants to take away the time off allowed to union reps. The rights of workers need defending, The benefits to workers, both members and none members is immeasurable. Earlier this year, a report commissioned by the government suggested that no fault dismissal would help the economy. Its a blatant lie. It would benefit only the bullies and manipulative managers, increase harassment and stress and possibly cost the economy.
The Mccluskeys and Crows shouting about coordinated strikes not only puts people off joining unions it weakens the threat.
I have written before about why i believe in unions. I have said that good unions would benefit not just workers but business as well. Unions need a makeover, They are in drastic need of reinvention or face extinction.
Young workers, the few that are lucky enough to be employed, do not understand unions. They take for granted the many rights that the trade unions have fought for for decades such as equality or paid holidays.
The impact of the unions has saved many jobs for example the car builders in the North east. the union was influential in getting an agreement that saved the plant, benefiting not just the staff, and the employer but the whole area.
A good union rep can be a useful tool to managers and businesses, if the reps can be trusted to not just be a trouble causer.
Reps working in the interest of employers and the employee can save huge amounts of money wasted on litigation and tribunals. I believe it is the responsibility of all elected union representatives to make members aware of their responsibilities as well as their rights.
I don't want to be part of a union that sacrifices longevity of jobs for an extra couple of hundred pounds for a handful of workers. I want a union that protects jobs whilst maintaining fairness and decency. The only way unions can have any influence of course is by recruiting supporters and increasing membership and that means a more responsible approach is needed.
Its not just the Tories that are to blame for the demise. 14 years of labour government did nothing to strengthen the role of trade unions. Why do we not teach trade unionism in school? Historically, the contribution the unions have made to this country is worthy of mention in the curriculum. I'm not talking propaganda, just awareness. Unions should be the link between employer and employee, not the barrier.
The millions of pounds of members money spent funding union bosses salaries could be used more usefully promoting the benefits of unions. Strike action should always be a last resort. There are many ways to demonstrate, all of which should be exhausted before strike action but it is vital that we retain the right to withdraw our labour.
Some eloquent tweeter said today that we need unity not Unite. I disagree.
Unite have recently introduced community membership. This could be a fantastic way to engage people and provide a voice for millions of people who are not currently represented by the media or politicians. As the vast majority of politicians have business interests of their own, or have owned bussinesses before entering politics, is it any wonder that there is a biased against the union?
Rotherham MP Dennis MacShane recently suggested a quota of working class MPs. This is never going to happen due to the cost in both time and money. Joining a responsible union could give the same representation. Union leaders like Len Mccluskey need to stop attacking business and threatening industrial action and come up with ways to fairly protect the rights of workers while ensuring they have work to protect.
Unions have become a dirty word.
David Cameron uses the accusation of "been in the pockets of the union", as though it is drug dealers money. Membership is synonymous with corruption. Union leaders like Len Mcluskey and Bob Crow are ridiculed and abused. But do they help themselves? No!
The trade unions of the 70's and 80's are extinct. It is no longer acceptable to down tools and drag everyone out at the drop of a hat. People these days expect services to continue regardless of the treatment of staff. People don't accept bad working conditions poor pay and pensions being raped under the disguise of fairness as an excuse to not having buses running.
We have become so pampered and selfish that we begrudge any one workers having better pay. We seek to look out for number one and sod every one else.
This just plays into the hands of business leaders and government and does nothing for workers.
Thatchers Tories stripped the unions of the real power that they formerly enjoyed, and Francis Maude wants to take away the time off allowed to union reps. The rights of workers need defending, The benefits to workers, both members and none members is immeasurable. Earlier this year, a report commissioned by the government suggested that no fault dismissal would help the economy. Its a blatant lie. It would benefit only the bullies and manipulative managers, increase harassment and stress and possibly cost the economy.
The Mccluskeys and Crows shouting about coordinated strikes not only puts people off joining unions it weakens the threat.
I have written before about why i believe in unions. I have said that good unions would benefit not just workers but business as well. Unions need a makeover, They are in drastic need of reinvention or face extinction.
Young workers, the few that are lucky enough to be employed, do not understand unions. They take for granted the many rights that the trade unions have fought for for decades such as equality or paid holidays.
The impact of the unions has saved many jobs for example the car builders in the North east. the union was influential in getting an agreement that saved the plant, benefiting not just the staff, and the employer but the whole area.
A good union rep can be a useful tool to managers and businesses, if the reps can be trusted to not just be a trouble causer.
Reps working in the interest of employers and the employee can save huge amounts of money wasted on litigation and tribunals. I believe it is the responsibility of all elected union representatives to make members aware of their responsibilities as well as their rights.
I don't want to be part of a union that sacrifices longevity of jobs for an extra couple of hundred pounds for a handful of workers. I want a union that protects jobs whilst maintaining fairness and decency. The only way unions can have any influence of course is by recruiting supporters and increasing membership and that means a more responsible approach is needed.
Its not just the Tories that are to blame for the demise. 14 years of labour government did nothing to strengthen the role of trade unions. Why do we not teach trade unionism in school? Historically, the contribution the unions have made to this country is worthy of mention in the curriculum. I'm not talking propaganda, just awareness. Unions should be the link between employer and employee, not the barrier.
The millions of pounds of members money spent funding union bosses salaries could be used more usefully promoting the benefits of unions. Strike action should always be a last resort. There are many ways to demonstrate, all of which should be exhausted before strike action but it is vital that we retain the right to withdraw our labour.
Some eloquent tweeter said today that we need unity not Unite. I disagree.
Unite have recently introduced community membership. This could be a fantastic way to engage people and provide a voice for millions of people who are not currently represented by the media or politicians. As the vast majority of politicians have business interests of their own, or have owned bussinesses before entering politics, is it any wonder that there is a biased against the union?
Rotherham MP Dennis MacShane recently suggested a quota of working class MPs. This is never going to happen due to the cost in both time and money. Joining a responsible union could give the same representation. Union leaders like Len Mccluskey need to stop attacking business and threatening industrial action and come up with ways to fairly protect the rights of workers while ensuring they have work to protect.
Friday 31 August 2012
As someone who likes sports generally and has on occasion, visited the odd gym, it was easy to be inspired to do a couple of sit ups and cut down on the fags after watching the Olympics.
I imagine gym membership will be well up over the coming months, as the fatties strive to be the next Jess Ennis and middle aged men attempt to be eighteen again.
I must admit, to my shame, as yet i have not watched any of the paralympics. But what inspiration will be taken from the games.
The government are currently assessing the needs and ability to work of people on disability allowance. We are hearing horror stories of people suffering from cancer losing their benefits. But the fact is there are hundreds, maybe thousands of people fit enough to work, who are simply sponging off the tax payers by claiming they cant work because they have a bad back, or asthma for example.
I hope these scroungers are sat on their plush sofas watching their plasmas and seeing the likes of Martine Wright. On July 7th 2005, Martine was in the London tube bombing, after 10 days in a coma she lost both her legs. This week she competed for GB in the women's sitting volleyball team. That is some achievement. Win or lose at the games, she can take pride in the fact that she has not decided to be a victim for the rest of her life and lay around wallowing in self pity or bitterness. She actually described herself this week as lucky.
Jonathan Fox, who has cerebral palsy won a gold medal in swimming at the age of just 21.
Jon Allan Butterworth lost his arm in a rocket attack while serving in Iraq. He is competing in the cycling at the games.
These for me are just some of of the truly inspirational stories of this summer. OK, take nothing away from the private school lot, that won us a shed of load of medals in London, they did remarkably well- but in comparison to the the absolute heroes that are representing their countries at the paralympics it was school sports day.
I just hope that like the government has apparently been inspired to kick start sports in schools by the success of London 2012, the many "disability" claimants are inspired to not languish at home.
Before i'm accused of being heartless,I know many many people, who would dearly love to work, are simply unable to due their disability or illness. Those people deserve to get benefits and have a right to the same quality of life as any able bodied person.
Its the spongers and scroungers that look for an excuse to do nothing because they think they deserve a better quality of life than people who have to work for a living, that i hope are inspired to get a life.
We have become a nation of lazy lay abouts wanting hand outs from the state and it is those leeches that have contributed to the state of the economy which now means people who want to work struggle to find a job. It is the generation of why should i's that have cost the remploy workers their hope of dignity,
So when the honours list comes round and her maj drapes medals on the achievers of this year, I hope that she acknowledges the contributions of the brave and the mutilated, the sick and the unfortunate that have indeed done us proud this summer.
I imagine gym membership will be well up over the coming months, as the fatties strive to be the next Jess Ennis and middle aged men attempt to be eighteen again.
I must admit, to my shame, as yet i have not watched any of the paralympics. But what inspiration will be taken from the games.
The government are currently assessing the needs and ability to work of people on disability allowance. We are hearing horror stories of people suffering from cancer losing their benefits. But the fact is there are hundreds, maybe thousands of people fit enough to work, who are simply sponging off the tax payers by claiming they cant work because they have a bad back, or asthma for example.
I hope these scroungers are sat on their plush sofas watching their plasmas and seeing the likes of Martine Wright. On July 7th 2005, Martine was in the London tube bombing, after 10 days in a coma she lost both her legs. This week she competed for GB in the women's sitting volleyball team. That is some achievement. Win or lose at the games, she can take pride in the fact that she has not decided to be a victim for the rest of her life and lay around wallowing in self pity or bitterness. She actually described herself this week as lucky.
Jonathan Fox, who has cerebral palsy won a gold medal in swimming at the age of just 21.
Jon Allan Butterworth lost his arm in a rocket attack while serving in Iraq. He is competing in the cycling at the games.
These for me are just some of of the truly inspirational stories of this summer. OK, take nothing away from the private school lot, that won us a shed of load of medals in London, they did remarkably well- but in comparison to the the absolute heroes that are representing their countries at the paralympics it was school sports day.
I just hope that like the government has apparently been inspired to kick start sports in schools by the success of London 2012, the many "disability" claimants are inspired to not languish at home.
Before i'm accused of being heartless,I know many many people, who would dearly love to work, are simply unable to due their disability or illness. Those people deserve to get benefits and have a right to the same quality of life as any able bodied person.
Its the spongers and scroungers that look for an excuse to do nothing because they think they deserve a better quality of life than people who have to work for a living, that i hope are inspired to get a life.
We have become a nation of lazy lay abouts wanting hand outs from the state and it is those leeches that have contributed to the state of the economy which now means people who want to work struggle to find a job. It is the generation of why should i's that have cost the remploy workers their hope of dignity,
So when the honours list comes round and her maj drapes medals on the achievers of this year, I hope that she acknowledges the contributions of the brave and the mutilated, the sick and the unfortunate that have indeed done us proud this summer.
Thursday 23 August 2012
Less than two weeks ago, the country performed a lap of honour aboard the band waggon of Olympic champion Jessica Ennis.
This week the wheels fell off the waggon, as we were reminded just how far we have(n't) come with our attitude towards sexism.
Former Celebrity big brother contestant, George Galloway stumbled into controversy again by claiming Julian Assange, accused of rape, is guilty of nothing more than bad sexual etiquette.
It has been said that opinions are like arse holes- everyone has one. This may be true, but we don't need to see or hear every arse hole. That said, i do believe that people elected to act and speak on our behalf are entitled to voice their opinion, whether we agree with it or not. It is more dangerous to censor those opinions and force such ludicrous ideas underground to fester. Britain has become so politically correct, that we are outraged by any view that is not unoffensive.
The arguments surrounding Galloway's comments proved that women are still in some circles considered to be less than equal to us men.
On twitter this week, some of the comments of "support" from men was almost on a par with patting them on the bottom and telling them not to worry their pretty little heads about Mr Galloway.
There was an argument that one of the ladies involved in the accusation, went to his hotel so she got what she asked for.
If a man went to a hotel room for a drink with another man, because he was interesting, and ended up being raped by the man, would we say he was asking for it? Absolutely not!
Also in the news this week was a 14 year old boy in Manchester, who was raped in a public toilet in broad daylight after being taken from a busy shopping centre. He was no more or less a victim than any female rape victim, yet I doubt a single person said he asked for it.
The alleged victim of Mr Assange was named in one article, totally disregarding her right to anonymity. There is clear evidence that not protecting victims identity severely reduces the number of victims willing to come forward after being raped.
Many men it seems, know it is unacceptable to be sexist in public, but still harbour deep seated beliefs that women do not deserve the same rights as men. They feel they should stand up and say that Mr Galloway was wrong and that Assange should be jailed, while actually thinking that neither of them did or said little wrong.
Some even seem to feel hurt by the idea of equality, claiming that equality is weighed heavily in favour of women.
Positive discrimination will make this worse. Equal rights should be just that equal. If a woman does the same job as a man, she deserves to be paid the same money. If a woman applies for a job and is equally qualified as her male counter part, she should be judged purely on merit.
If she is raped, she deserves the same empathy and justice that a man receives. If she says no, or even fails to give her consent, it is rape. Mr Galloway said in his defence of Assange, that a man does not need to get permission prior to each insertion. Any reasonable decent human being can tell when sex is consensual. If in doubt, leave it out.. as a clue Mr Galloway and Assange, it is normally required that the recipient be awake or conscious at least.
There was a story in the paper about a cheerleader in America, who was punished for not cheering the man who raped her, while footballers are allowed to refuse hand shakes with opponents that have offended them without fear of recrimination..
You would think, or at least hope, that over thirty years after we had our first and only female prime minister, that as a nation we would at least treat the rights of females equal to those of men.
Sadly, this is not the case.
A recent survey showed that the average wage of men working full time in this country is £531. The average woman only earns £426.
This will not change by people being afraid to discuss it. There needs to be open and honest discussion so that we can put to bed the attitudes that have kept women in their place since the 50's.
We need idiots, bigots and macho spokesmen like George Galloway to highlight these issues. We need the government not to promote women just because they are women, but to legislate so employers guilty of sexism can be punished.
We need laws that protect victims identities so that people are not afraid to speak out. We need laws that punish properly, the people found guilty of such crimes. We need for people to stop claiming mock offence at petty comments made by ignorant people and welcome the fact that men and women are different to each other but none is superior and none has more rights.
This week the wheels fell off the waggon, as we were reminded just how far we have(n't) come with our attitude towards sexism.
Former Celebrity big brother contestant, George Galloway stumbled into controversy again by claiming Julian Assange, accused of rape, is guilty of nothing more than bad sexual etiquette.
It has been said that opinions are like arse holes- everyone has one. This may be true, but we don't need to see or hear every arse hole. That said, i do believe that people elected to act and speak on our behalf are entitled to voice their opinion, whether we agree with it or not. It is more dangerous to censor those opinions and force such ludicrous ideas underground to fester. Britain has become so politically correct, that we are outraged by any view that is not unoffensive.
The arguments surrounding Galloway's comments proved that women are still in some circles considered to be less than equal to us men.
On twitter this week, some of the comments of "support" from men was almost on a par with patting them on the bottom and telling them not to worry their pretty little heads about Mr Galloway.
There was an argument that one of the ladies involved in the accusation, went to his hotel so she got what she asked for.
If a man went to a hotel room for a drink with another man, because he was interesting, and ended up being raped by the man, would we say he was asking for it? Absolutely not!
Also in the news this week was a 14 year old boy in Manchester, who was raped in a public toilet in broad daylight after being taken from a busy shopping centre. He was no more or less a victim than any female rape victim, yet I doubt a single person said he asked for it.
The alleged victim of Mr Assange was named in one article, totally disregarding her right to anonymity. There is clear evidence that not protecting victims identity severely reduces the number of victims willing to come forward after being raped.
Many men it seems, know it is unacceptable to be sexist in public, but still harbour deep seated beliefs that women do not deserve the same rights as men. They feel they should stand up and say that Mr Galloway was wrong and that Assange should be jailed, while actually thinking that neither of them did or said little wrong.
Some even seem to feel hurt by the idea of equality, claiming that equality is weighed heavily in favour of women.
Positive discrimination will make this worse. Equal rights should be just that equal. If a woman does the same job as a man, she deserves to be paid the same money. If a woman applies for a job and is equally qualified as her male counter part, she should be judged purely on merit.
If she is raped, she deserves the same empathy and justice that a man receives. If she says no, or even fails to give her consent, it is rape. Mr Galloway said in his defence of Assange, that a man does not need to get permission prior to each insertion. Any reasonable decent human being can tell when sex is consensual. If in doubt, leave it out.. as a clue Mr Galloway and Assange, it is normally required that the recipient be awake or conscious at least.
There was a story in the paper about a cheerleader in America, who was punished for not cheering the man who raped her, while footballers are allowed to refuse hand shakes with opponents that have offended them without fear of recrimination..
You would think, or at least hope, that over thirty years after we had our first and only female prime minister, that as a nation we would at least treat the rights of females equal to those of men.
Sadly, this is not the case.
A recent survey showed that the average wage of men working full time in this country is £531. The average woman only earns £426.
This will not change by people being afraid to discuss it. There needs to be open and honest discussion so that we can put to bed the attitudes that have kept women in their place since the 50's.
We need idiots, bigots and macho spokesmen like George Galloway to highlight these issues. We need the government not to promote women just because they are women, but to legislate so employers guilty of sexism can be punished.
We need laws that protect victims identities so that people are not afraid to speak out. We need laws that punish properly, the people found guilty of such crimes. We need for people to stop claiming mock offence at petty comments made by ignorant people and welcome the fact that men and women are different to each other but none is superior and none has more rights.
Friday 17 August 2012
With the biggest signing of the summer happening on the eve of the new season, Manchester United fans will have to wait until Monday to see if Robin Van Persie can justify the £24m and help bring the trophy back to the red side of Manchester. United meet an Everton side who have signed no one and sold their best two players on Monday night. With Jack Rodwell going to the other side of Manchester and Tim Cahill leaving for the States, it is hard see any other result than a Manchester United victory.
Champions City face newly promoted Southampton at home on Sunday. Other than Rodwell, City have been remarkably quiet by their standards in the transfer market although the wealth of talent they already have should be able to mount a serious campaign to regain the title. Argentine rebel of last season Carlos Tevez, looks ready for action as he returned from pre-season a stone lighter than last season.
Chelsea also play Sunday as they travel to Wigan. The big talking point of that game will be Victor Moses, a summer target for the Blues. He looks set to start for the Latics in what could be his last game before joining Chelsea for a fee rumoured to be around £10m.
The most interesting Premier League game of opening day promises to be Newcastle and Spurs at the Sports Direct Arena. Both teams looked destined for Champions League football last season, but both ended up this seasons Europa League. With last seasons Tyne side heroes, Demba Ba and Papiss Cisse both doubtful for the curtain raiser, Toon manager Alan Pardew will be wishing he had managed to regain the services of £35million reject Andy Carrol from Liverpool.
New Spurs boss Andre Villas-Boas will be hoping hoping for an improvement in his reputation after his ill fated time at Stamford Bridge.
Ambitious QPR will of course be without Joey Barton but could field a host of new signings including Park ji Sung and Junior Hoilett. They face Swansea at Loftus Road as the Swans play their first competitive game since losing highly rated manager Brendan Rodgers to Liverpool. Michael Laudrop takes charge of Swansea for his first managerial game in the Premier league.
Meanwhile Rodgers kicks off his first season as Reds boss as Liverpool travel to Steve Clarke's West Brom at the Hawthornes.
In the Championship, Niel Warnock's Leeds United start at home to newly relegated Wolves, who start life back in the second tier under new manager Stale Solbakken.
Newly promoted Sheffield Wednesday return to the Championship after two seasons in league 1, away at Derby, hoping the good run of form they found at the end of last season continues. Dave Jones' summer recruit Chris Kirkland is due to start at Pride Park.
Birmingham are at home to last seasons League one run away champions Charlton while Steve Bruce starts his reign as Hull manager at home to Gus Poyet's Brighton. Both teams could be favourites for promotion at the end of the season.
Blackburn manager, Steve Keen will be hoping for victory away at Ipswich as he was apparantly told earlier in the week that he will be sacked from the Lancashire side, relegated last season, if they lose their opening few games.
Watford boss Gianfranco Zola should push the others with the Udinese backing his club enjoys.
In League 1, Sheffield United look to overcome two penalty shoot out defeats in the last two games as the welcome Shrewsbury Town to Bramall Lane.
Coventry start life in the third tier for the first time in over 40 years away to Yoevil.
Portsmouth start the day at home to Bournemouth after releasing all of their senior players and fielding a team of teenagers in the league cup defeat last week.
Who will take the honours this season?
I think the Premier League will be a two horse Manchester race, with the signing of Van Persie proving the difference. I expect Ferguson's United to take the title. City should be runners up and i would like to Roberto Di Matteo's Chelsea contending the top spots while i think Liverpool will take a while to adjust to life after King Kenny. With Everton looking vulnerable too, a glum season is in store for Mersey side. Watch out for Fernando Torres to rub salt in the wounds with a good season at Chelsea.
At the other end i think Reading will find the step up a step too far, and i can see a former really big club like Aston Villa fighting for survival again. Many will hope that the unpopular QPR will join them, but i suspect the summer signings and the possibility of the cheque book coming out again in January,will steer them clear of danger.
The top of the Championship should be a good battle this season with Steve Bruce and Niel Warnock looking to build on their track records for promotion and don't rule out Milan Manderic's Owls to surprise a few and mount a challenge to return to the Premiership.
Birmingham and Charlton will be hard to beat also.
In League 1 I don't see Sheffield United repeating last seasons form, with no money they will struggle this season and i would expect the founders of the football league, Notts County to dominate that division and Coventry looking to bounce back at the first attempt.
My Tips for the season
Premier League Champions. Manchester United.
Runners up . Manchester City
Whipping boys Reading
Top scorer in Premier League- Fernando Torres
Championship
Champions Hull
Runners up Sheffield Wednesday
Bottom Bristol City
Champions City face newly promoted Southampton at home on Sunday. Other than Rodwell, City have been remarkably quiet by their standards in the transfer market although the wealth of talent they already have should be able to mount a serious campaign to regain the title. Argentine rebel of last season Carlos Tevez, looks ready for action as he returned from pre-season a stone lighter than last season.
Chelsea also play Sunday as they travel to Wigan. The big talking point of that game will be Victor Moses, a summer target for the Blues. He looks set to start for the Latics in what could be his last game before joining Chelsea for a fee rumoured to be around £10m.
The most interesting Premier League game of opening day promises to be Newcastle and Spurs at the Sports Direct Arena. Both teams looked destined for Champions League football last season, but both ended up this seasons Europa League. With last seasons Tyne side heroes, Demba Ba and Papiss Cisse both doubtful for the curtain raiser, Toon manager Alan Pardew will be wishing he had managed to regain the services of £35million reject Andy Carrol from Liverpool.
New Spurs boss Andre Villas-Boas will be hoping hoping for an improvement in his reputation after his ill fated time at Stamford Bridge.
Ambitious QPR will of course be without Joey Barton but could field a host of new signings including Park ji Sung and Junior Hoilett. They face Swansea at Loftus Road as the Swans play their first competitive game since losing highly rated manager Brendan Rodgers to Liverpool. Michael Laudrop takes charge of Swansea for his first managerial game in the Premier league.
Meanwhile Rodgers kicks off his first season as Reds boss as Liverpool travel to Steve Clarke's West Brom at the Hawthornes.
In the Championship, Niel Warnock's Leeds United start at home to newly relegated Wolves, who start life back in the second tier under new manager Stale Solbakken.
Newly promoted Sheffield Wednesday return to the Championship after two seasons in league 1, away at Derby, hoping the good run of form they found at the end of last season continues. Dave Jones' summer recruit Chris Kirkland is due to start at Pride Park.
Birmingham are at home to last seasons League one run away champions Charlton while Steve Bruce starts his reign as Hull manager at home to Gus Poyet's Brighton. Both teams could be favourites for promotion at the end of the season.
Blackburn manager, Steve Keen will be hoping for victory away at Ipswich as he was apparantly told earlier in the week that he will be sacked from the Lancashire side, relegated last season, if they lose their opening few games.
Watford boss Gianfranco Zola should push the others with the Udinese backing his club enjoys.
In League 1, Sheffield United look to overcome two penalty shoot out defeats in the last two games as the welcome Shrewsbury Town to Bramall Lane.
Coventry start life in the third tier for the first time in over 40 years away to Yoevil.
Portsmouth start the day at home to Bournemouth after releasing all of their senior players and fielding a team of teenagers in the league cup defeat last week.
Who will take the honours this season?
I think the Premier League will be a two horse Manchester race, with the signing of Van Persie proving the difference. I expect Ferguson's United to take the title. City should be runners up and i would like to Roberto Di Matteo's Chelsea contending the top spots while i think Liverpool will take a while to adjust to life after King Kenny. With Everton looking vulnerable too, a glum season is in store for Mersey side. Watch out for Fernando Torres to rub salt in the wounds with a good season at Chelsea.
At the other end i think Reading will find the step up a step too far, and i can see a former really big club like Aston Villa fighting for survival again. Many will hope that the unpopular QPR will join them, but i suspect the summer signings and the possibility of the cheque book coming out again in January,will steer them clear of danger.
The top of the Championship should be a good battle this season with Steve Bruce and Niel Warnock looking to build on their track records for promotion and don't rule out Milan Manderic's Owls to surprise a few and mount a challenge to return to the Premiership.
Birmingham and Charlton will be hard to beat also.
In League 1 I don't see Sheffield United repeating last seasons form, with no money they will struggle this season and i would expect the founders of the football league, Notts County to dominate that division and Coventry looking to bounce back at the first attempt.
My Tips for the season
Premier League Champions. Manchester United.
Runners up . Manchester City
Whipping boys Reading
Top scorer in Premier League- Fernando Torres
Championship
Champions Hull
Runners up Sheffield Wednesday
Bottom Bristol City
Thursday 9 August 2012
So a fabulous summer of sport is almost over. European championships provided us with a prolonged football season, ( if only as spectators) and then the glorious London Olympics inspired us all to dig out our plimsolls and shell suits and join the gym, again.. But what happens when the band waggon comes to an abrupt end in a few days time?
Will the shine of those gleaming gold medals fade or will the legacy of the games be to actually benefit the rest of the country for generations?
There has been plenty of reporting on the ratio of medals per private school compared to state school. How many comprehensives have a rowing lake? asked free school champion Toby Young this week.
How many comprehensive schools have a sports academy?
It is yet another example of the rich being able to afford the opportunity to succeed.
State school pupils can only dream of the kind of facilities on offer to the better off kids. Not only are they unable to access the same facilities at school but cannot afford to join the clubs either. How many working class families from poorer backgrounds can afford to send little Harvey off to yachting club at the weekend or little Gideon off to a cycling club? Many of them cant even afford a bike let alone a club membership.
London Mayor, Boris Johnson says he wants school children to do PE for two hours every day. Is this the answer? Of course not. Typical Tory patronising, well meant but not really thought out.
Most kids don't even want to do PE once a week. How will they react to being forced to do it for two hours a day? They will rebel against it and probably write them selves a sick note. It is quite likely the only game they will be playing is truant.
What is needed is inspiration from teachers. Unfortunately, it the governments policy to discourage the best people from joining the teaching profession by raping their pensions and trying to discredit their unions. As a father of two young children i want the very best people to teach them. My wife and I entrust them to the care of school for more hours of the day than I spend with them.
If my children get sick i want to know that the doctors and nurses that treat them are the best available.
Why shouldn't teachers get well rewarded to do one of the most responsible jobs in the world?
Teachers are not just expected to teach the syllabus these days, in many schools teachers are also responsible for teaching right from wrong, morals,and sex education. Some parents don't even own a single book. Some of them see it as the job of teachers to enable their children to read, others simply cant afford books. For me the very best teachers are those who can inspire. Sadly even the most inspirational teachers cannot work magic with no help. The government needs to think of ways to facilitate the inspiration, not just legislate for it.
If we want to see equality in sport in this country, we need to see equality in life. We will never achieve this while the rich and powerful dominate and control every aspect of our life. I agree with Dennis Mcshane's suggestion that we need more working class MPs. I'm not sure his idea of how to achieve it is plausible but the idea would be a good start. We also need more working class athletes, gymnasts, cyclists and teachers. Come on Britain, make the most of London 2012
Will the shine of those gleaming gold medals fade or will the legacy of the games be to actually benefit the rest of the country for generations?
There has been plenty of reporting on the ratio of medals per private school compared to state school. How many comprehensives have a rowing lake? asked free school champion Toby Young this week.
How many comprehensive schools have a sports academy?
It is yet another example of the rich being able to afford the opportunity to succeed.
State school pupils can only dream of the kind of facilities on offer to the better off kids. Not only are they unable to access the same facilities at school but cannot afford to join the clubs either. How many working class families from poorer backgrounds can afford to send little Harvey off to yachting club at the weekend or little Gideon off to a cycling club? Many of them cant even afford a bike let alone a club membership.
London Mayor, Boris Johnson says he wants school children to do PE for two hours every day. Is this the answer? Of course not. Typical Tory patronising, well meant but not really thought out.
Most kids don't even want to do PE once a week. How will they react to being forced to do it for two hours a day? They will rebel against it and probably write them selves a sick note. It is quite likely the only game they will be playing is truant.
What is needed is inspiration from teachers. Unfortunately, it the governments policy to discourage the best people from joining the teaching profession by raping their pensions and trying to discredit their unions. As a father of two young children i want the very best people to teach them. My wife and I entrust them to the care of school for more hours of the day than I spend with them.
If my children get sick i want to know that the doctors and nurses that treat them are the best available.
Why shouldn't teachers get well rewarded to do one of the most responsible jobs in the world?
Teachers are not just expected to teach the syllabus these days, in many schools teachers are also responsible for teaching right from wrong, morals,and sex education. Some parents don't even own a single book. Some of them see it as the job of teachers to enable their children to read, others simply cant afford books. For me the very best teachers are those who can inspire. Sadly even the most inspirational teachers cannot work magic with no help. The government needs to think of ways to facilitate the inspiration, not just legislate for it.
If we want to see equality in sport in this country, we need to see equality in life. We will never achieve this while the rich and powerful dominate and control every aspect of our life. I agree with Dennis Mcshane's suggestion that we need more working class MPs. I'm not sure his idea of how to achieve it is plausible but the idea would be a good start. We also need more working class athletes, gymnasts, cyclists and teachers. Come on Britain, make the most of London 2012
Saturday 28 July 2012
Working class MP- Who are you kidding Mr Macshane?
Labour MP Denis Macshane, this week claimed we need more "working class" members of Parliament, and called for 10% of seats to be made of people on minimum wage.
While this is highly noble of Oxford educated Mr Macshane, is it really feasible? In a nut shell - No.
The opportunities available to working class families are so far behind the middle classes and upper classes that is would be extraordinary for 1% of MP's to come from a minimum wage background..
The majority of the present batch of MP's have degrees in Politics, philosophy and economics. How many people do you suppose are working for minimum wage with those qualifications? Many of our politicians came directly into politics from Oxbridge, without ever having a normal job.
To start with there is the £500 deposit to pay to even stand in the election. This would put many off, considering if they get less than 5% of the vote they lose the deposit. Add to this the cost of a campaign,- campaign manager, literature, travel. An unsuccessful candidate on minimum wage could easily face bankruptcy.
Without the training and schooling in the ways of politics and elections your average working class candidate would be destroyed by their opponents. The only way round this would be for poorer candidates to be sponsored. Big business or governments or even trade unions funding a candidate will inevitably lead to corruption.
The only way to get working class people into parliament is to change the entire system. Bearing in mind the current crop, asking for these changes would be like asking turkeys to vote for Christmas.
While many MP's may claim to support the ideology of Mr Macshane's suggestion, Parliament is the ultimate house of the elite. Are these people really going to give up the position they were born into? No.
The issue is, as i have said before, all the influential professions- journalism, law, MP are dominated by middle aged middle class white men. This has to change before the voice of working class people will ever be heard.
I was told many years ago by a news paper editor, that no news paper would ever employ any one who did not have a degree (in absolutely any subject) regardless of ability, unless of course you are a celebrity. Obviously one needs to pass many exams and study for many years to get a job in legal industry and as i said politics is dominated by the Oxbridge classes. Working class people simply are not represented. When you consider the influence these professions have in the country it is even less likely to imagine minimum wage, working class people getting elected.
While this is highly noble of Oxford educated Mr Macshane, is it really feasible? In a nut shell - No.
The opportunities available to working class families are so far behind the middle classes and upper classes that is would be extraordinary for 1% of MP's to come from a minimum wage background..
The majority of the present batch of MP's have degrees in Politics, philosophy and economics. How many people do you suppose are working for minimum wage with those qualifications? Many of our politicians came directly into politics from Oxbridge, without ever having a normal job.
To start with there is the £500 deposit to pay to even stand in the election. This would put many off, considering if they get less than 5% of the vote they lose the deposit. Add to this the cost of a campaign,- campaign manager, literature, travel. An unsuccessful candidate on minimum wage could easily face bankruptcy.
Without the training and schooling in the ways of politics and elections your average working class candidate would be destroyed by their opponents. The only way round this would be for poorer candidates to be sponsored. Big business or governments or even trade unions funding a candidate will inevitably lead to corruption.
The only way to get working class people into parliament is to change the entire system. Bearing in mind the current crop, asking for these changes would be like asking turkeys to vote for Christmas.
While many MP's may claim to support the ideology of Mr Macshane's suggestion, Parliament is the ultimate house of the elite. Are these people really going to give up the position they were born into? No.
The issue is, as i have said before, all the influential professions- journalism, law, MP are dominated by middle aged middle class white men. This has to change before the voice of working class people will ever be heard.
I was told many years ago by a news paper editor, that no news paper would ever employ any one who did not have a degree (in absolutely any subject) regardless of ability, unless of course you are a celebrity. Obviously one needs to pass many exams and study for many years to get a job in legal industry and as i said politics is dominated by the Oxbridge classes. Working class people simply are not represented. When you consider the influence these professions have in the country it is even less likely to imagine minimum wage, working class people getting elected.
Tuesday 17 July 2012
Its not big and its not clever!
If you haven't got anything nice to say...
It is sadly a sign of the times that i feel i must start with a caveat. So there can be no confusion or misinterpretation, so there is no ambiguity- Racism is cowardly, ignorant, abhorrent and poison. There is no place for it in society, in the work place, in school play grounds or in football.I love football. As an 11 year old boy I had the privilege to be chosen as a ball boy for my favourite team Sheffield United. At pitch side, i was close enough to the action to actually hear what the players were saying to each other. I distinctly recall being shocked at hearing winger Colin Morris telling a team mate he was "playing like a fanny".
Professional footballers are these days, very wealthy, very fortunate men. With the fame and fortune comes a responsibility to their employers- the fans. They are role models, emulated and imitated in the school yard , on local parks and in streets.
During the Terry versus Ferdinand race trial it was apparent that it has become acceptable for the super stars of the game, the recipients of the great wealth and of our admiration, to treat other each other with utter contempt. Described as banter by both parties the vile language used was a disgrace. The outrage at one player calling another a fu@#ing black c#@t was brought to court in the name of racism.
Take the word black out of that sentence and it should lose none of its nastiness or offensiveness. If my 11 year old child was given the honour of being a ball boy at a game now, that is the acceptable language of a former England captain. Thanks, but no thanks.
The hype and hysteria that surrounded the court case and the numerous enquiries that will follow, will do nothing to help the reputation of the national sport. You may have noticed that the world will be watching this country for the summer as we host the Olympic games. Having just had ex footballer Sol Campbell urge fans not to visit Euro 2012 because the hosts were racist, how many people will decide not to visit London for the same reason.
I am in favour of the right to freedom of speech. I am in favour of the right to express an opinion, but there has to be an acceptable manor in which to enjoy those rights.
I read on twitter that racist comments are worse than fat comments, because fat people have a choice.I heard someone say racism was worse because "of the whole slavery thing". The debate then moved to ugly people, short people, stupid people or ginger people.
As a short man, measuring in at a towering 5ft bang on, i have all my life been the butt of size jokes. Friends, colleagues, managers and even strangers have thought it perfectly reasonable for them mention my height. As far as i know, I have never been over looked for a job or a promotion because i am smaller than the majority.
If for decades my ancestors had been raped, murdered, tortured forced from their land, made to use different public amenities or catch different buses, because they were short, would I be more or less outraged at the name calling. I suspect that if my ancestors had endured those horrors then I would have one of two choices. Maybe I would think it a disgrace. Maybe i would want justice. maybe i would try to look at it differently. Maybe if i was paid millions of pounds to play a game I love , I would accept that being called names is part of the gamesmanship.
Racist discrimination is disgusting, unacceptable and wrong. I suspect that racist comments do not necessarily make a person racist.
At a very early age we are all taught that sticks and stones...
I was also taught if you haven't got anything nice to say... So, i suggest the problem is not just a race issue. It is a fundamental breakdown in society and its respect for one another.
It should not be acceptable to call some one a nigger or a paki or a jock. it should not be acceptable to call someone fat or bald or ugly or ginger or short.
It is the behaviour and attitude of human beings towards other human beings that is the problem.
When i am at work i am representing my employer. Bin men represent their employers while at work. School teachers, Doctors, nurses, post men and bus drivers represent their employers at work and footballers represent their employers the club and the fans. It is time clubs took the toughest action against this intolerable behaviour. Not just racism- any employer whose employee called someone a fu#@ing c#@t while at work would Football clubs must stamp out this behaviour and regardless of the guilty party being an investment or asset they must be tackled.
The message should not be its OK to call a fellow human being an effing c or fat or ugly as long as you don't mention the colour of their skin. The message has to be that we do not have the right to single out any one for unfounded abuse for any reason.
Bullying and harassment is in the eye of the victim. By definition, if someone feels they are upset by by actions that single them out from the treatment of others then they are victims of bullying. Racism is bullying. It is the action of ignorant cowardly people.
The danger is that by highlighting the racist element of bullying in courtrooms while claiming the vile language that goes with it is OK, we lessen the seriousness of all the other discrimination.
Vicarious offence taken by people who are quite comfortable discriminating against disabled people or fat people or ginger people does not help any one.
Band wagons and witch hunts do not help. Positive discrimination and hyper sensitivity and over blown political correctness will fuel the hatred and feed the ignorance.
As a comprehensive school educated man who is shorter than the average, i am more than qualified to say stop racism, stop being disrespectful to fellow mankind -
Its not big and its not clever.
Saturday 7 July 2012
As soon as i left school and got a job, the first thing i did was join the union - The UCW as it was known then. I joined because I believed in the things it stood for, or rather what i thought it should stand for..
Workers rights, fair pay, equality, and a stance against racism, sexism, ageism, bullying and harassment. Sticking up for the little man against the big machine.
Where did it all go wrong. The Unions got too big for their boots and Mrs Thatcher, God bless her kicked the Bejesus's out of them and took away most of their powers. Still they believe they are the machine.
When i was a rep i considered it to be my role to advise members of not only their rights, but their responsibilities. I soon learned that many people, my Father included had neither the time nor the inclination to even listen to the union, let alone pay to be a member. They saw the unions as greedy parasites out to fill their own pockets and achieve power for themselves on the back of other peoples misery.
The good work that trade unions have done speaks for itself. Fair pay - even a minimum wage, workers rights - massive changes to rights for working parents including flexible hours. Some things we now take for granted , would never have happened were it not for trade unions, paid holidays for example. For me the union was also there to protect the long term future of the employment, even if this sometimes meant looking after the interest of employer first.
As a post man, every Christmas was massive. Extra hours (Christmas pressure it is known as ), meant extra money from the over tie we had to do. It also meant carrying a lot of weight- bearing in mind this was the '80's and texts, emails and the rest wasn't dreamt of. We delivered thousands of Christmas cards. Our Christmas bonus was a miniature bottle of whiskey and a book of stamps. Neither the staff or the union ever demanded a busy bonus.. We accepted that whilst it was bloody hard work at least we could guarantee we would be in business next Christmas. We saw the " Christmas bonus" as just that, a bonus.
There were other busy times throughout the year. Gas bills, phone bills, electric bills, sometimes all three at once, would come several times a year not to mention giro day on the Manor.. We didn't get any bonus for been busy then, even though the Post Office would have made a profit at the time.
Next month the 2012 Olympic games come to London, and the iconic red buses will be packed for a month, carrying an estimated 800,000 extra passengers. Instead of seeing this as a once in a lifetime event, that the red bus drivers can cherish and say "i was part of that", they have voted overwhelmingly to strike for extra money. Many families up and down the country have had their lives shredded by the government cuts to benefits, job closures and pay freezes. How many of the 2million unemployed would be ecstatic to drive a big busy red bus full of tourists celebrating for minimum wage or less?
Some I'm sure will argue that TFL (transport for London), the bus operators, are being tight and it is unfair that all other transport drivers- underground drivers, train drivers, dock workers, in London will receive a £500 bonus. They will also no doubt say that the 21000 members who voted 9-1 in favour of a strike are right to do so.
I tend to agree. However, it is a sign that the union, like the politicians, has lost touch with normal people when they fail to gain sympathy for this injustice because they present it as greed in times of austerity. Now any great leader and tactician knows you have to pick your fights and there are some that are just not worth winning.
The hypocrisy of a union that is so desperate to connect with common people that it offers unemployed membership at hugely discounted rates but takes away their transport for being asked to work a bit harder for a couple of weeks, has I'm afraid the stench of bad judgement.
At a time when the country is feeling the biggest squeeze for more than half a century, when its work force is being told to work for longer for less and to pay more into their pensions to get less in retirement, industrial action on this scale will make us the laughing stock of the watching world and could do unrepairable damage to the trade union movement.
I would personally rather see a different battle-maybe a general strike, by members of all unions, after the Olympics, to oppose the outrageous suggestion of none fault dismissal and the destruction of the employment rights i thanked the unions for earlier.. Surely that is a more worthy cause.
Workers rights, fair pay, equality, and a stance against racism, sexism, ageism, bullying and harassment. Sticking up for the little man against the big machine.
Where did it all go wrong. The Unions got too big for their boots and Mrs Thatcher, God bless her kicked the Bejesus's out of them and took away most of their powers. Still they believe they are the machine.
When i was a rep i considered it to be my role to advise members of not only their rights, but their responsibilities. I soon learned that many people, my Father included had neither the time nor the inclination to even listen to the union, let alone pay to be a member. They saw the unions as greedy parasites out to fill their own pockets and achieve power for themselves on the back of other peoples misery.
The good work that trade unions have done speaks for itself. Fair pay - even a minimum wage, workers rights - massive changes to rights for working parents including flexible hours. Some things we now take for granted , would never have happened were it not for trade unions, paid holidays for example. For me the union was also there to protect the long term future of the employment, even if this sometimes meant looking after the interest of employer first.
As a post man, every Christmas was massive. Extra hours (Christmas pressure it is known as ), meant extra money from the over tie we had to do. It also meant carrying a lot of weight- bearing in mind this was the '80's and texts, emails and the rest wasn't dreamt of. We delivered thousands of Christmas cards. Our Christmas bonus was a miniature bottle of whiskey and a book of stamps. Neither the staff or the union ever demanded a busy bonus.. We accepted that whilst it was bloody hard work at least we could guarantee we would be in business next Christmas. We saw the " Christmas bonus" as just that, a bonus.
There were other busy times throughout the year. Gas bills, phone bills, electric bills, sometimes all three at once, would come several times a year not to mention giro day on the Manor.. We didn't get any bonus for been busy then, even though the Post Office would have made a profit at the time.
Next month the 2012 Olympic games come to London, and the iconic red buses will be packed for a month, carrying an estimated 800,000 extra passengers. Instead of seeing this as a once in a lifetime event, that the red bus drivers can cherish and say "i was part of that", they have voted overwhelmingly to strike for extra money. Many families up and down the country have had their lives shredded by the government cuts to benefits, job closures and pay freezes. How many of the 2million unemployed would be ecstatic to drive a big busy red bus full of tourists celebrating for minimum wage or less?
Some I'm sure will argue that TFL (transport for London), the bus operators, are being tight and it is unfair that all other transport drivers- underground drivers, train drivers, dock workers, in London will receive a £500 bonus. They will also no doubt say that the 21000 members who voted 9-1 in favour of a strike are right to do so.
I tend to agree. However, it is a sign that the union, like the politicians, has lost touch with normal people when they fail to gain sympathy for this injustice because they present it as greed in times of austerity. Now any great leader and tactician knows you have to pick your fights and there are some that are just not worth winning.
The hypocrisy of a union that is so desperate to connect with common people that it offers unemployed membership at hugely discounted rates but takes away their transport for being asked to work a bit harder for a couple of weeks, has I'm afraid the stench of bad judgement.
At a time when the country is feeling the biggest squeeze for more than half a century, when its work force is being told to work for longer for less and to pay more into their pensions to get less in retirement, industrial action on this scale will make us the laughing stock of the watching world and could do unrepairable damage to the trade union movement.
I would personally rather see a different battle-maybe a general strike, by members of all unions, after the Olympics, to oppose the outrageous suggestion of none fault dismissal and the destruction of the employment rights i thanked the unions for earlier.. Surely that is a more worthy cause.
Wednesday 4 July 2012
Since my last post, the news has been dominated by Barclays and Mr Bob Diamond. Barclays bank the great British institution, has for many years courted controversy. For decades students have boycotted the bank because its links supporting aparthied in South Africa and its funding of the monster Robert Mugabi and the £30 million loan it gave him to help drive 100,000 black workers from their homes.
In 2009 the bank was accused of violating money laundering laws and in the same year was accused of tax avoidance. Earlier this year it was forced to pay back £500 million in tax it had avoided.
In 2008 just as the sub prime mortgage crisis hit, the banks chief executive Bob Diamond was set to pay himself a £14.8M BONUS.
In the last six months of 2011 the financial ombudsman dealt with 11,524 complaints making Barclays the most complained about bank in Britain.
So is it any surprise that the bank and its hierarchy are in the news again for all the wrong reasons?
The start of the week saw Barclays fined £290m for fiddling the LIBOR rate.
Now like me, many people outside the banking system had never heard of LIBOR or what exactly fiddling it meant to us, the little people. What they did know instantly, was that they did not like it and that they were outraged. Outraged by the abuse of power that is clearly way too prevelant today. The banks are to blame for the crisis which has lead to student fees increased to an unbearable level, the crisis which prompted the pension tax, the crisis which has lead the Tory lead Government to cut benefits for disabled people, and slash public services. The banks are to blame for the housing crash which has seen thousands of families finding themselves in negative equity and unable to sell their property.The banks are to blame for world wide financial problems that have forced many families into poverty through pay freezes or pay cuts for those fortunate enough to have jobs.The banks are to blame for many small businesses going under leading to the longest queues at the dole office for generations, while its executives drink expensive champagne to celebrate. It is oh so easy for the Government to blame it all on Labour but the simple fact is that the blame as far as we the people are concerned, falls squarely at the feet of the greedy, selfish, heartless millionaires running the banks.
They tell us we cant do anything about the banks or all the best people will leave the country. Let them go. Lets start from scratch-things can hardly get much worse.
What is needed is planning for the future- Not tomorrow, not next year, the future. Instead of creating a two tier system in our schools the Government and Mr Gove should be looking at ways to make all our children not just capable of working in these jobs but able to do these jobs in an honest and conscientious manner. The latest greed and gab a quick buck culture is symptomatic of the country. No role models, no morals, no pride, no hope where the rich get richer the powerful get more powerful and the poor get written off.
For decades the top jobs in politics , media, law and finance have gone to middle aged middle class white males who could afford the best education. It is clear now that this does not work. If you are bright enough it should not matter if you are rich enough.
The outrage and tension that lead to rioting last summer and marches in autumn is the same unresolved outrage and disgust we feel towards the unfortunate Mr Diamond. The people of this country are suffering, they hungry and skint . Hungry for respite, hungry for food in their families bellies and hungry for some revenge. We have seen no one pay for the crisis except us. We haven't even had an apology. Sadly, we will not i fear, rest until someone takes responsibility and is punished for the detestation that threatens to destroy the future of this country. It may not be Bob Diamond but someone, somewhere will feel the full wrath of the public until a solution is found. instead of letting privately educated millionaires who have never had a real job look for answers why not ask us- the real people.
In 2009 the bank was accused of violating money laundering laws and in the same year was accused of tax avoidance. Earlier this year it was forced to pay back £500 million in tax it had avoided.
In 2008 just as the sub prime mortgage crisis hit, the banks chief executive Bob Diamond was set to pay himself a £14.8M BONUS.
In the last six months of 2011 the financial ombudsman dealt with 11,524 complaints making Barclays the most complained about bank in Britain.
So is it any surprise that the bank and its hierarchy are in the news again for all the wrong reasons?
The start of the week saw Barclays fined £290m for fiddling the LIBOR rate.
Now like me, many people outside the banking system had never heard of LIBOR or what exactly fiddling it meant to us, the little people. What they did know instantly, was that they did not like it and that they were outraged. Outraged by the abuse of power that is clearly way too prevelant today. The banks are to blame for the crisis which has lead to student fees increased to an unbearable level, the crisis which prompted the pension tax, the crisis which has lead the Tory lead Government to cut benefits for disabled people, and slash public services. The banks are to blame for the housing crash which has seen thousands of families finding themselves in negative equity and unable to sell their property.The banks are to blame for world wide financial problems that have forced many families into poverty through pay freezes or pay cuts for those fortunate enough to have jobs.The banks are to blame for many small businesses going under leading to the longest queues at the dole office for generations, while its executives drink expensive champagne to celebrate. It is oh so easy for the Government to blame it all on Labour but the simple fact is that the blame as far as we the people are concerned, falls squarely at the feet of the greedy, selfish, heartless millionaires running the banks.
They tell us we cant do anything about the banks or all the best people will leave the country. Let them go. Lets start from scratch-things can hardly get much worse.
What is needed is planning for the future- Not tomorrow, not next year, the future. Instead of creating a two tier system in our schools the Government and Mr Gove should be looking at ways to make all our children not just capable of working in these jobs but able to do these jobs in an honest and conscientious manner. The latest greed and gab a quick buck culture is symptomatic of the country. No role models, no morals, no pride, no hope where the rich get richer the powerful get more powerful and the poor get written off.
For decades the top jobs in politics , media, law and finance have gone to middle aged middle class white males who could afford the best education. It is clear now that this does not work. If you are bright enough it should not matter if you are rich enough.
The outrage and tension that lead to rioting last summer and marches in autumn is the same unresolved outrage and disgust we feel towards the unfortunate Mr Diamond. The people of this country are suffering, they hungry and skint . Hungry for respite, hungry for food in their families bellies and hungry for some revenge. We have seen no one pay for the crisis except us. We haven't even had an apology. Sadly, we will not i fear, rest until someone takes responsibility and is punished for the detestation that threatens to destroy the future of this country. It may not be Bob Diamond but someone, somewhere will feel the full wrath of the public until a solution is found. instead of letting privately educated millionaires who have never had a real job look for answers why not ask us- the real people.
Thursday 31 May 2012
It is a well known, but rarely admitted fact that British males are notoriously bad drivers. They can often be seen stubbornly heading aimlessly in the wrong direction, refusing to take advise from the person sat next to them holding the map. They will sometimes change direction, and head aimlessly yet determinedly, in another wrong direction. Often they will do this several times, for many an hour before they finally admit they are lost- and then invariably, they blame the whole mess on someone else. It also a fact that if the driver is over tired or has been drinking, that his judgement can be impaired.The question that should be asked is of course, should these people in control at all?
This week, with MP's on spring break ( or whatever title is given to this latest holiday) you might think the political highways would be quiet. Not so.
The Government have been busily performing spectacular u turns, three in a week, in what some might say is an attempt to divert attention from other matters.
The u-turns might be making the head lines but are they the real issue? Many people believe the pasty tax was despite hitting mainly the poorest the hardest, actually fair. Many may argue that more of a "fat tax" should be added to sausage rolls and the like. I for one think that if it can be justifiable that smokers are not aloud to see what they are about to purchase, because they are not clever enough to realise the damage to themselves or the cost to the tax payer, then it is surely high time we tackled obesity by putting pasties cakes and lard in a wooden cabinet out of sight.
Many also believe that millionaires piling money into charities to avoid paying tax is not fair. Some people probably do not care if there is VAT on new caravans, or haven't even given it that much thought..
The more pertinent issue is who the hell is making these decisions. Badly thought through policies, badly appointed staff, badly delivered budget. When describing the Tory lead coalition government the one word that is been used ever increasingly by all media platforms, is incompetence.
Dave the rave said recently in an interview reportedly, that he likes to chilax with a cheeky glass of wine or two on date nights with glamorous wife Sam. Maybe this burning the candle at both ends is impairing his judgement. The big question today is should Mr Cameron order an enquiry into whether Jeremy Hunt broke the ministerial code. The big question should be was it extremely bad judgement giving him the job in the first place. It is obvious to all that when Vince Cable was relieved of his duties for being biased against the Murdoch's, his replacement needed to be completely unbiased and capable of making fair decisions. Jeremy Hunt was clearly neither of these.
Mr Camerons judgement has been brought into question several times already during his short stint of power. His party co chair Baroness Warsi, appointed by the PM in order to bring ethnic and working class personnel into the party, but disliked by most in it, is under the spotlight in an enquiry over her expenses. His former head of communications and personal friend Andy Coulson, former News Corp employee (another link) was this week charged with perjury. Quite simply Cameron and Osbourne are nitwits muddling through the jobs they believe they were born to occupy. The only real jobs they have actually had, and on the evidence so far, probably the last. Another perfect example of bad judgement from them, was asking Tory donor and millionaire venture capitalist Lord Beecroft to submit a report on Business law reforms. Surely ACAS would have been a better equipped and more impartial reporter. Beecroft was never going to offer an unbiased or fair opinion. Cameron may as well have asked Gary Glitter to offer recommendations on the age of consent.
These are critical times, with the possibility of another armed conflict, this time with Syria, (and maybe Russia), a political conflict with the rest of Europe and a double dip recession at home.Do we really want a a pair of arrogant posh boys with no passion to understand the lives of others, carrying out an experiment with not only our future but the future of our children and probably their children?
The answer is absolutely and utterly NO. They show no remorse, they show no understanding, no grace, no loyalty to even each other in their own party, and no hope of aspiration for normal working class people.
That said, Ed and Ed and the Labour faithful should not be rubbing their hands at these troubled times for the Government. If Cameron and Osborne are not fit to lead this country then there still has to be question marks of biblical proportions over the Labour leadership.
This week, with MP's on spring break ( or whatever title is given to this latest holiday) you might think the political highways would be quiet. Not so.
The Government have been busily performing spectacular u turns, three in a week, in what some might say is an attempt to divert attention from other matters.
The u-turns might be making the head lines but are they the real issue? Many people believe the pasty tax was despite hitting mainly the poorest the hardest, actually fair. Many may argue that more of a "fat tax" should be added to sausage rolls and the like. I for one think that if it can be justifiable that smokers are not aloud to see what they are about to purchase, because they are not clever enough to realise the damage to themselves or the cost to the tax payer, then it is surely high time we tackled obesity by putting pasties cakes and lard in a wooden cabinet out of sight.
Many also believe that millionaires piling money into charities to avoid paying tax is not fair. Some people probably do not care if there is VAT on new caravans, or haven't even given it that much thought..
The more pertinent issue is who the hell is making these decisions. Badly thought through policies, badly appointed staff, badly delivered budget. When describing the Tory lead coalition government the one word that is been used ever increasingly by all media platforms, is incompetence.
Dave the rave said recently in an interview reportedly, that he likes to chilax with a cheeky glass of wine or two on date nights with glamorous wife Sam. Maybe this burning the candle at both ends is impairing his judgement. The big question today is should Mr Cameron order an enquiry into whether Jeremy Hunt broke the ministerial code. The big question should be was it extremely bad judgement giving him the job in the first place. It is obvious to all that when Vince Cable was relieved of his duties for being biased against the Murdoch's, his replacement needed to be completely unbiased and capable of making fair decisions. Jeremy Hunt was clearly neither of these.
Mr Camerons judgement has been brought into question several times already during his short stint of power. His party co chair Baroness Warsi, appointed by the PM in order to bring ethnic and working class personnel into the party, but disliked by most in it, is under the spotlight in an enquiry over her expenses. His former head of communications and personal friend Andy Coulson, former News Corp employee (another link) was this week charged with perjury. Quite simply Cameron and Osbourne are nitwits muddling through the jobs they believe they were born to occupy. The only real jobs they have actually had, and on the evidence so far, probably the last. Another perfect example of bad judgement from them, was asking Tory donor and millionaire venture capitalist Lord Beecroft to submit a report on Business law reforms. Surely ACAS would have been a better equipped and more impartial reporter. Beecroft was never going to offer an unbiased or fair opinion. Cameron may as well have asked Gary Glitter to offer recommendations on the age of consent.
These are critical times, with the possibility of another armed conflict, this time with Syria, (and maybe Russia), a political conflict with the rest of Europe and a double dip recession at home.Do we really want a a pair of arrogant posh boys with no passion to understand the lives of others, carrying out an experiment with not only our future but the future of our children and probably their children?
The answer is absolutely and utterly NO. They show no remorse, they show no understanding, no grace, no loyalty to even each other in their own party, and no hope of aspiration for normal working class people.
That said, Ed and Ed and the Labour faithful should not be rubbing their hands at these troubled times for the Government. If Cameron and Osborne are not fit to lead this country then there still has to be question marks of biblical proportions over the Labour leadership.
Saturday 26 May 2012
Oh Lord where art thou now?
This summer marks the 30th anniversary of Sheffield United winning promotion from the old fourth division, going up as champions with 96 points. As an 11 year old boy, my hero was top goal scorer, Keith Edwards. By some genius stroke of luck, I happened to find out where Keith Edwards lived, and with a friend in tow for support, dared to go and knock on his door.
Armed with a souvenir promotion special we asked for his autograph.
Not only did Keith sign the posters, he invited my friend and I into his home and made us feel like we were special. A day that lives in my memory as though it was yesterday.
Now I have never met Keith Edwards again or spoken to him but I suggest the reason for his hospitality was simple. He knew that he was fortunate to be doing a job he loved, a job that he was very good at and that the rewards and admiration the game brought him belonged to the fans.
I don't know how often fans turned up at his door step, probably not very often but by making us welcome in his home he was giving something back to the fans, to the club, and to the game.
As I said, that was thirty years ago. Today, Sheffield United football club lost at Wembley stadium in the League 1 play off final - due mainly to having no striker. The decline of United has a morale parallel. This seasons leading goal scorer is currently in jail, convicted of rape. The clubs most experienced striker was suspended today.
Has the game changed or has the world changed? Keith Edwards, who scored more than 250 league goals, who after retiring from football now works for BBC radio Sheffield as a match commentator, treat my friend and me as though we were the stars. Even his wife seemed pleased to see us. Respect.
Today's footballers who earn millions of pounds in their career seem to think that they can do anything they want because they are footballers and are entitled to it. More and more players are in the news for entirely the wrong reasons, whether it be for rape, drunken thugishness, twittering or sleeping with their brothers wife- it seems that there is no level to which they will not stoop..
Michael Owen, a once great striker but one who sadly hasn't had a decent season for most of the last decade, was this week released by Manchester United. Rather than acknowledging the wonderful life football had given him he arrogantly stated that he is too good for the championship and wont consider it.
In the fourth division winning Sheffield United side were former top players, who were happy to drop down the leagues just to keep playing the game they loved, and give the fans of smaller teams something to appreciate. Many of them lighting up the lower division. How times have changed.
I shudder to think what would happen to two eleven year old children turning up at a footballers house today.
While ten a penny millionaire mega stars fade into deluded oblivion at the end of their career if not during it, the real heroes live on in people like me and my boyhood friend forever.
Keith Edwards, I salute thee.
Armed with a souvenir promotion special we asked for his autograph.
Not only did Keith sign the posters, he invited my friend and I into his home and made us feel like we were special. A day that lives in my memory as though it was yesterday.
Now I have never met Keith Edwards again or spoken to him but I suggest the reason for his hospitality was simple. He knew that he was fortunate to be doing a job he loved, a job that he was very good at and that the rewards and admiration the game brought him belonged to the fans.
I don't know how often fans turned up at his door step, probably not very often but by making us welcome in his home he was giving something back to the fans, to the club, and to the game.
As I said, that was thirty years ago. Today, Sheffield United football club lost at Wembley stadium in the League 1 play off final - due mainly to having no striker. The decline of United has a morale parallel. This seasons leading goal scorer is currently in jail, convicted of rape. The clubs most experienced striker was suspended today.
Has the game changed or has the world changed? Keith Edwards, who scored more than 250 league goals, who after retiring from football now works for BBC radio Sheffield as a match commentator, treat my friend and me as though we were the stars. Even his wife seemed pleased to see us. Respect.
Today's footballers who earn millions of pounds in their career seem to think that they can do anything they want because they are footballers and are entitled to it. More and more players are in the news for entirely the wrong reasons, whether it be for rape, drunken thugishness, twittering or sleeping with their brothers wife- it seems that there is no level to which they will not stoop..
Michael Owen, a once great striker but one who sadly hasn't had a decent season for most of the last decade, was this week released by Manchester United. Rather than acknowledging the wonderful life football had given him he arrogantly stated that he is too good for the championship and wont consider it.
In the fourth division winning Sheffield United side were former top players, who were happy to drop down the leagues just to keep playing the game they loved, and give the fans of smaller teams something to appreciate. Many of them lighting up the lower division. How times have changed.
I shudder to think what would happen to two eleven year old children turning up at a footballers house today.
While ten a penny millionaire mega stars fade into deluded oblivion at the end of their career if not during it, the real heroes live on in people like me and my boyhood friend forever.
Keith Edwards, I salute thee.
Friday 11 May 2012
The Queens speech this week, not only did nothing to help the squeezed middle classes, or the millions of unemployed, it snook in some idealogies that had apparantly been put on the back burner until they could be hidden behind promises of rebuilding the country. "LOL".
The controversial, so called snoopers charter which was gently suggested a couple of weeks ago, then quickly backed away from was announced with a whisper. Why not a fanfare? Why, when the incompetant baffoons running this country do have a good idea, do they not have the conviction or the balls to stand up and say so. I wrote previously about this idea, and am a massive supporter of it. If it stops extremist terror groups bombing our schools and shopping precincts, if it stops sick peodophiles grooming our innocent children, if stops opportunistic fraudsters stealing identities or conning old ladies out of their savings then i believe it worth losing a little privacy.
Then there was the cutting of red tape to enable small businesses to employ people more easily and thrust the economy into growth..
Hidden in the small print is another long held ideology of the government, make it easier to wield the axe of power and sack people willy nilly. They plan to make anyone who has been employed for less than two years have no employment rights. This is the not a charter for rebuilding the country, this is not a charter for employment or growth. This is a charter for bullying, exploitation, and unjust sacking of hard working people. It will stop the most talented people who find themselves stuck in a rut from risking going for a new job, for fear of leaving themselves vulnerable and facing the dole queue. This is not going to get the best people in to the jobs we need the best people in. The new legislation will make it even harder for businesses to attract good workers. this will harm the recovery of this country. Politics, ideals and theories devised in a lecture room at oxbridge will not work in real life when implimented by snobbish spoilt little boys who have never had a real job and are carrying out an experiment tto see how far they can push before we say enough is enough. Surely, that time is now-they have gone far enough.
Not only do the Government intend to make it easier to sack people, they are set to take away the right to appeal and the right to a tribunal. They also quite evidently want to crush the trade unions once and for all so that the rich and powerful can be ultimately more powerful and richer. Now is the time to join the union. Now is the time to tell your MP that you will not tolerate this abuse. The only way to stop bullies is to stand up to them. The Tories and the leeches in the Lib dem hanger on coalition do not get it. The real people of this country need to take control of thier own destinies and say no more.
We have seen in the board rooms this week, that shareholders are no longer willing to put up with massive self gain from the people at the top while the people at the bottom suffer. Now is the time when communities need to stand together and pull together, when work forces whether public or private sector tell the powers that be that we demand fairness, a lesson i suspect which is not taught in the halls of Oxford , Cambridge or the palace of Westminster .
The controversial, so called snoopers charter which was gently suggested a couple of weeks ago, then quickly backed away from was announced with a whisper. Why not a fanfare? Why, when the incompetant baffoons running this country do have a good idea, do they not have the conviction or the balls to stand up and say so. I wrote previously about this idea, and am a massive supporter of it. If it stops extremist terror groups bombing our schools and shopping precincts, if it stops sick peodophiles grooming our innocent children, if stops opportunistic fraudsters stealing identities or conning old ladies out of their savings then i believe it worth losing a little privacy.
Then there was the cutting of red tape to enable small businesses to employ people more easily and thrust the economy into growth..
Hidden in the small print is another long held ideology of the government, make it easier to wield the axe of power and sack people willy nilly. They plan to make anyone who has been employed for less than two years have no employment rights. This is the not a charter for rebuilding the country, this is not a charter for employment or growth. This is a charter for bullying, exploitation, and unjust sacking of hard working people. It will stop the most talented people who find themselves stuck in a rut from risking going for a new job, for fear of leaving themselves vulnerable and facing the dole queue. This is not going to get the best people in to the jobs we need the best people in. The new legislation will make it even harder for businesses to attract good workers. this will harm the recovery of this country. Politics, ideals and theories devised in a lecture room at oxbridge will not work in real life when implimented by snobbish spoilt little boys who have never had a real job and are carrying out an experiment tto see how far they can push before we say enough is enough. Surely, that time is now-they have gone far enough.
Not only do the Government intend to make it easier to sack people, they are set to take away the right to appeal and the right to a tribunal. They also quite evidently want to crush the trade unions once and for all so that the rich and powerful can be ultimately more powerful and richer. Now is the time to join the union. Now is the time to tell your MP that you will not tolerate this abuse. The only way to stop bullies is to stand up to them. The Tories and the leeches in the Lib dem hanger on coalition do not get it. The real people of this country need to take control of thier own destinies and say no more.
We have seen in the board rooms this week, that shareholders are no longer willing to put up with massive self gain from the people at the top while the people at the bottom suffer. Now is the time when communities need to stand together and pull together, when work forces whether public or private sector tell the powers that be that we demand fairness, a lesson i suspect which is not taught in the halls of Oxford , Cambridge or the palace of Westminster .
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