I always wonder how Her Majesty can bring herself to read out the nonsensical drivel she’s always handed for the state opening of parliament. This year’s speech also had the added sick-making factor of seeming to want to identify itself … Continue reading →

The Queen’s Speech today is going to announce the revival of this particularly stupid bill (among many other, equally stupid bits of legislation). What I still don’t get – an obvious point, maybe – is precisely how it is possible … Continue reading →

While remaining overworked and uninspired, there are a couple of interesting pieces over at The Sharpener. First up is Third Avenue with a great overview of precisely why referendums are so rubbish and anathema to the British political system. After … Continue reading →

Nope, I haven’t turned into a commie or anything. I am, however, feeling rather uninspired – unlike those revolutionaries and rebels contained within the Carnival of the Revolutions over at Siberian Light – a handy summary of all the various … Continue reading →

As predicted, the negotiations for the EU’s new budget were not exactly easy, and have ended in collapse. Brussels really isn’t trying overly hard to make itself seem appealing in the run-up to contentious constitution referendums, is it? Bloody shambles.

With the French referendum vote too close to call, if you�re a pro-EU pessimist like me this is getting a tad too nerve-wracking. Given that Britain will almost certainly opt for a �No� vote in any referendum, the whole exercise … Continue reading →

When ARE the Tories going to realise that the hardcore anti-European fringe are not their way back to power? The anti-EU parties (including here UKIP, Veritas, the BNP and the Greens, not all of which are by any means solely … Continue reading →

I am very glad she is still my MP, despite my not voting for her, and have just emailed her to that effect. Those members of the Labour party who have maintained their principles and have the guts to speak … Continue reading →

I was at that meeting at the Commons last night run by the Electoral Reform Society, and in the pub afterwards for the freaky experience of meeting a few other Britbloggers in the flesh. Open Democracy has a good write-up. … Continue reading →

It’s big news, the European Parliament’s vote (378 to 262) to remove Britain’s opt out from the working time directive. But the focus has largely been on the fact that Labour’s MEPs voted with the Socialist group in the EP … Continue reading →

Via The Sharpener, a particularly fine defence of abstaining from the whole damn mess at Stumbling and Mumbling: “there’s something irresponsible about voting. A vote means you’re giving 100 per cent support to your candidate; there’s no room on the … Continue reading →

Considering that ex-CND member Tony Blair seems to be making noises about getting hold of more nuclear weapons and building more nuclear power-plants, I’m quite surprised that this little bit of news hasn’t had more airtime: “A leak of highly … Continue reading →

The certain highlight of election night was grieving father Reg Keys delivering a note-perfect speech having polled over 4,000 votes in Sedgefield against Tony Blair – the man he blames for his son’s death (though it’s nowhere near that simple … Continue reading →

is doubtless how this will be pitched by some of the more rabid on the Eurosceptic side, who are always happy to distort any positive EU news. And I can think of little that isn’t positive in using some of … Continue reading →