May 16, 2006
by Nosemonkey
Comments Off on Legislative and Regulatory Reform Bill debate highlights
Late with this, but there was some top-notch attempted liveblogging of yesterday’s parliamentary debates over the Legislative and Regulatory Reform Bill over at the Save Parliament Blog – attempted, because the whole thing was typically impenetrable, and is continuing today. … Continue reading
May 15, 2006
by Nosemonkey
6 Comments
The way the British system works is that the legislature makes the laws, and the judiciary then applies them. If, as head of the executive (and therefore the person responsible for ensuring that new laws that pass through the legislature … Continue reading
May 14, 2006
by Nosemonkey
Comments Off on Blai’s bad legislation (again)
Tony Blair: “I’m crap at drawing up legislation – so what we need is even more legislation that I’ll draw up to counter the bad legislation I passed a few years ago!“Labour’s latest slogan: If in doubt, chuck more laws … Continue reading
May 13, 2006
by Nosemonkey
1 Comment
Welcome to Europe’s newest nation – Nymark (United Nations recognition pending). Still – it’s bigger (and slightly more attractive) than the Principality of Sealand…
May 12, 2006
by Nosemonkey
Comments Off on Ukraine roundup
A handy round-up of what’s been going on in Ukraine since the elections back in March. It’s not exactly stable over there just yet, what with them still being without a Prime Minister and all…
May 12, 2006
by Nosemonkey
Comments Off on ID scare stories
You’d have thought that now they’ve got the ID cards bill through parliament they’d shut up already with the nonsense scare-stories about identity theft. Either that or, if it’s currently so leniently punished as is being claimed, you’d think they … Continue reading
May 11, 2006
by Nosemonkey
2 Comments
This deserves more than just a short post, but sadly I’m rather busy. “Angela Merkel has said that Europe needs a new reason for its existence” Merkel’s election always had the potential to be significant. Is this the first sign … Continue reading
May 11, 2006
by Nosemonkey
2 Comments
Hardly a revelation, if you’ve ever been into a bar in Britain, Ireland, Belgium, Germany, Austria, etc. etc. etc., but it’s nice to have some figures at last. “Europe�s beer brewing industry refreshes the EU economy to the tune of … Continue reading
May 11, 2006
by Nosemonkey
Comments Off on Italy
Still don’t understand Italy? You’re not the only one. Thankfully, Phil Edwards does, and explains it really rather well.
May 9, 2006
by Nosemonkey
18 Comments
Seeing someone arrive at this blog (at least, while Blogger was working) via Cafe Babel was rather nice, at first. It’s a decent site with regularly interesting content – nice to be noticed by them at last. Or so I … Continue reading
May 9, 2006
by Nosemonkey
1 Comment
As an opinion poll shows Blair’s Labour party to be as unpopular as Thatcher’s Tories in late 1981 (following mass unemployment and tax rises during a recession, giving Thatcher personal approval ratings of just 23%, 11 points lower than even … Continue reading
May 9, 2006
by Nosemonkey
Comments Off on Nothing nicer
Than early morning rumours of bombs on the Underground again… No idea yet if genuine, mind, so I’m probably just scaremongering here. Update: Looking like just rumours. Can’t find any confirmation at all – probably people jumping to conclusions because … Continue reading
May 8, 2006
by Nosemonkey
Comments Off on Blair and grammar
The importance of grammar, part 4,673: At today’s press conference (amid much guff), Tony Blair commented on the 7th July bombings: “He said he knew of ‘nothing that would indicate [the security services] should have known or been able to … Continue reading
May 8, 2006
by Nosemonkey
Comments Off on Reshuffle
Superb reshuffle analysis from Tim Hames in The Times (neither a columnist nor a paper that I normally find myself in agreement with): “This reckless reshuffle has thus imperilled the Prime Minister to an extent that five Conservative leaders and … Continue reading