February 23, 2007
by Nosemonkey
Comments Off on Good news for Sir Patrick
After the surprising news that his local constituency association executive had decided to deselect him after 37 years as an MP – and one of the most dedicated constituency MPs in the House – it turns out that they were … Continue reading
February 13, 2007
by Nosemonkey
2 Comments
Declaration of interest: I used to work as Sir Patrick’s researcher at the Commons. Though disagreeing with him on a number of aspects of policy (I’m not a Tory, after all), I both like and respect him as a person, … Continue reading
November 22, 2006
by Nosemonkey
Comments Off on Simon Heffer: Blogger
(Originally published on The Sharpener) Simon Heffer is not a columnist for whom I usually have much time – although his biography of Enoch Powell was relatively interesting, that was more down to the subject than the author. If anything, … Continue reading
May 5, 2006
by Nosemonkey
1 Comment
More buried news (an ideal day this – keep an eye out, people): BBC – No charges follow Menezes ‘leak’ “No one is to face charges over the alleged leaking of confidential papers from the Jean Charles de Menezes shooting … Continue reading
May 4, 2006
by Nosemonkey
Comments Off on My precious, precious vote (etc.)
Well, after much soul-searching, reading of election materials and manifestoes, and – basically – a process of elimination based on a combination of local issues and the cut of the candidates’ various jibs, I’ve just voted (missing the deadline by … Continue reading
May 4, 2006
by Nosemonkey
Comments Off on More bad news
More bad news buried on election day. Following the NHS’s “best year ever” claims, today it has been announced that 200 jobs are to go at St Richard’s Hospital in Chichester, West Sussex; 95 jobs are to go at Birmingham … Continue reading
May 4, 2006
by Nosemonkey
3 Comments
Today’s elections mean it’s a good time to bury stories, and as such, details of the government’s amendments to the Legislative and Regultory Reform (Abolition of Parliament) Bill have trickled out of the Cabinet Office. The full text of the … Continue reading
May 4, 2006
by Nosemonkey
7 Comments
Today, the day of the local elections, the Metro newspaper – a freebie given out to commuters every weekday morning in around 15 major cities, including London, Manchester and Birmingham – handed the Tories between £11,000 and £16,000 worth of … Continue reading
May 3, 2006
by Nosemonkey
2 Comments
It’s a real shame that Australia’s no longer simply a prison colony – it’d solve so many problems. Perhaps they could convert part of the Outer Hebrides instead? (I wouldn’t put it past them, actually…) As it is, we’re now … Continue reading
April 27, 2006
by Nosemonkey
1 Comment
More (potential) postal vote fraud in Birmingham in the run-up to next week’s local elections. Only this time it’s the Lib Dems, not Labour… Nice one, guys.And herein lies the reason why local elections should be voted for on local, … Continue reading
April 26, 2006
by Nosemonkey
6 Comments
And I thought the mental image of (the late) gnome-like Robin Cook with his (then) secretary was bad enough, or gravestone-toothed David Mellor with that horse-faced model woman in his Chelsea strip. But oh no – Labour can always go … Continue reading
April 25, 2006
by Nosemonkey
Comments Off on Charles Clarke: false
Chris Lightfoot has demolished yesterday’s Charles Clarke speech, so I don’t have to: “The speech is remarkable in that almost every factual assertion Clarke made about the recent legislation of his department was false” Update: Oh dear, poor Charlie’s come … Continue reading