http://www.liberalconspiracy.org creating a new liberal-left force Fri, 03 Jul 2009 22:30:57 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Part 1 (part 2 below) Weirdest political resignation speech ever? We know that Sarah Palin is intensely ambitious but I can't see how resigning as governor half-way through the term is a good political move for a future presidency bid. More likely, it feels like Palin knows something in her closet ... http://www.liberalconspiracy.org/2009/07/03/sarah-palin-resigns-video/ Second jobs, so we are told, help MPs to stay in touch with the real world and the needs of constituents. David Cameron was quick to claim he is "relaxed" about more details of his shadow Cabinet's outside earnings being made public this week under new transparency rules: "I do ... http://www.liberalconspiracy.org/2009/07/03/tory-machine-making-excuses-for-second-jobs/ a guest article by The Professor There's an easy way to find out - ask them if they support a law which enforces it. A cross party coalition of MPs are petitioning the House of Commons to introduce the Elected Representatives (Prohibition of Deception) Bill for debate. Our film "The ... http://www.liberalconspiracy.org/2009/07/03/does-your-mp-really-want-to-end-deception-in-politics/ The Commission on English Prisons Today- presided over by Cherie Booth QC- launched its final report yesterday - with a demand to cut prison numbers and reinvest money in communities. It is unequivocal. Our criminal justice system is in crisis. A decade and a half of penal excess means ... http://www.liberalconspiracy.org/2009/07/03/our-criminal-justice-system-is-in-crisis/ SWINE FLU UNCONTROLLABLE Nationwide Culture minister in Tory homophobia claim Vodafone agrees to new Carphone deal 'Get real' - Darling warns the bankers International Green power takes root in a Chinese desert Vibe Mag, showcase for Hip-Hop and R&B, dies North Korea test-fires 4 short-range missiles U.S. 'hits the pause button' on aid to Honduras ... previous Netcasts http://www.liberalconspiracy.org/2009/07/03/top-stories-friday-3rd-july/ Phillip Blond, in response to Sunder Katwala, says: My main point is a philosophical and historical one that liberty (which I believe in) is not produced from liberalism. Indeed my intellectual argument is that that pure liberalism or liberalism as first philosophy cannot produce liberty - indeed it produces ... http://www.liberalconspiracy.org/2009/07/02/can-liberalism-be-illiberal/ Sky News is reporting that shadow chancellor George Osborne is to be investigated by the sleaze watchdog over his expenses. A few days ago we asked why, despite his expense claims, Osborne was still part of the shadow cabinet. (via @AdamBienkov) http://www.liberalconspiracy.org/2009/07/02/george-osborne-to-be-investigated/ In an interview with the Guardian last year, the former Evening Standard journalist Andrew Gilligan was quoted as saying: "But I don't think [Ken Livingstone] is progressive. Livingstone is the ally of some of the most reactionary forces in this city. I'm thinking of Ian Blair, I'm thinking of property ... http://www.liberalconspiracy.org/2009/07/02/andrew-gilligan-still-working-for-iranian-state-television/ I wrote last year about a really interesting piece of research by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, which asked people to decide how much someone living in Britain today needs in order to be able to live on. They have just released the updated version, Minimum Income Standard 2009. There are ... http://www.liberalconspiracy.org/2009/07/02/what-should-be-the-minimum-income-standard-in-2009/ Talking about Israeli policies in terms of 'apartheid' is nothing new - you can find the claim going back at least 30 years. This kind of description for Israel's treatment of the Palestinians became increasingly common through the 1980s and '90s, until now, nine years since the Second Intifada began, ... http://www.liberalconspiracy.org/2009/07/02/israel-and-using-apartheid/ UNDER INVESTIGATION Nationwide Credit card cheques to be banned by govt £30bn shortfall threatens rail and road plans CCTV contradicts police, IPCC over death Defeat for Government over expenses bill International Iranian opposition leaders defy 'unlawful regime' Keeping the fizz in the journalism biz U.N. says North Korea food aid has dried up US tries to retake Afghan valley from ... http://www.liberalconspiracy.org/2009/07/02/top-stories-thursday-2nd-july/ A Media Guardian story today uncovers the interesting nugget that the BBC has received more complaints over excessive coverage on Michael Jackson's death than the expenses of its own senior management. The BBC said today it had received 748 complaints, with one senior source revealing that there were 10 to 15 ... http://www.liberalconspiracy.org/2009/07/01/bbc-gets-more-complaint-over-jackson-than-expenses/ Quoting an excellent article by Gary Younge last week, Alex Smith over at LabourList says that disillusioned lefties have little choice but to support Labour or at least get involved in the party to make themselves heard. Going by the polls, Labour still remains the electoral alternative remain the Tories ... http://www.liberalconspiracy.org/2009/07/01/its-better-not-to-support-this-labour-govt-over-tories/ One of the more cutting attacks of recent months on the government came not from the Conservatives but from that other continual provider of friendly fire, Frank Field. Writing about government business which was slowly winding its way towards conclusion, he said: "week after week MPs have been turning ... http://www.liberalconspiracy.org/2009/07/01/legislation-that-amounts-to-nothing/ LAST RITES READ OUT Nationwide Passport details kept despite ID card U-turn BNP takes advantage of Llanelli's tensions Outrage over G20 police imposter theory 'Queue jumping immigrants' a myth, says study International Franken takes seat, giving Democrats super-majority Le Pen's daughter in National Front victory Ousted president vows to return to Honduras Iraq marks withdrawal of U.S. troops ... previous Netcasts http://www.liberalconspiracy.org/2009/07/01/top-stories-wednesday-1st-july/ The Telegraph this morning reports that Labour MP Harry Cohen has announced his decision to quit as an MP by the next election. The MP had come under heavy criticism for his decision to claim more than £100,000 in second home expenses on a house in his constituency of Leyton ... http://www.liberalconspiracy.org/2009/07/01/labour-mp-resigns-over-expenses-second-jobs-scandal-looms/ I have blogged several times about my idea to make use of anonymous job applications - so as to end the subliminal discrimination that creeps in with some applications being discarded because of the names on them. I floated my idea during the Second Reading of the Equality Bill and it ... http://www.liberalconspiracy.org/2009/06/30/anonymous-job-applications-%e2%80%93-ending-discrimination/ David Cameron may have given the impression he intends to reprimand MPs who made seriously large expense claims, but in fact this has not applied to his close coterie of chums in the shadow cabinet. Of these, shadow chancellor George Osborne is perhaps the biggest offender. And even though Cameron's has ... http://www.liberalconspiracy.org/2009/06/30/why-is-george-osborne-still-in-office/ Evenin' all. I wanted to make a quick point about certain global news stories, and the relative amount of news coverage given to each. Its fashionable, yet incredibly easy to complain that the Michael Jackson death has crowded out news of other more pressing matters. Shawn Micallef sounded an ... http://www.liberalconspiracy.org/2009/06/29/michaeljacksonrip-vs-iranelection/ Saturday, I learnt from watching the news yesterday, was our first ever Armed Forces Day. According to the official website "The first Armed Forces Day is 27 June 2009, and is an opportunity for the nation to show our support for the men and women who make up the Armed ... http://www.liberalconspiracy.org/2009/06/29/do-we-need-an-armed-forces-day/ Who says second jobs aren't lucrative? Tory shadow cabinet minister Michael Gove should certainly fall into that category. According to information revealed by the Conservatives today, this is his rough second-income from a column at the The Times newspaper. London Evening Standard's Paul Waugh writes on his blog: Govey gets £5,000 ... http://www.liberalconspiracy.org/2009/06/29/gove-mp-makes-1250-an-hour-on-the-side/ Ann Black sent round an e-mail to Labour Party members with five questions which she will feed back at Labour's next National Executive meeting. It's a discussion which I hope as many members as possible will contribute to, but also might be of interest to Labour supporters who aren't members. ... http://www.liberalconspiracy.org/2009/06/29/can-labour-learn-the-lessons/ MPs CONDEMN G20 POLICING Nationwide Revealed: MPs' pay from second jobs Scientists attack Britain's energy industry Vodafone prepares for takeover of T-Mobile Prosecutors take action on BNP leaflets International Mumbai: What really happened India's gays prepare to join rainbow nation Chavez threatens to invade after Honduran coup Political disputes threaten Iraqi oil rights sale ... previous Netcasts http://www.liberalconspiracy.org/2009/06/29/top-stories-monday-29th-june/ A revised broadcast advertising code will force anti-abortionists to make their dangerous bias clear: We pro-choicers were happy to note that the BCAP's just-closed consultation on a revised advertising code included a proposal to allow abortion providers to advertise abortion services on radio and TV. Equally cheering was the news that ... http://www.liberalconspiracy.org/2009/06/29/selling-abortion/ If your authority was being undermined by street protests and an election widely seen as rigged - what's the best way of uniting people behind you? Why, starting a diplomatic row of course, with the hope it will escalate into a bigger show of force. And this is Ahmedinijad's obvious gambit ... http://www.liberalconspiracy.org/2009/06/28/miliband-should-avoid-falling-for-ahmedinijads-trap/