Archive for January, 2006
If you believe in democracy
Posted by: Gav in Gavin Ayling's blog on January 23rd, 2006
Scottish Raj
If you believe in democracy, which most people brought up under it do, then you must not be in favour of having a Prime Minister sitting in a Scottish constituency.
In fact, the vast majority of English people accept that the creation of a Scottish Parliament has caused imbalance within the UK. If you don’t, you probably need to read about and join the Campaign for an English Parliament.
If you have any gripe about any government policy in England and you want to see it reversed, modified or changed, there is absolutely no point debating that actual case, you should be more concerned about the system of government which gives a vote in the House of Commons to those who’s electorate will not be affected…
But this is the case at the moment. What would be worse about a Scottish-constituency Prime Minister is that he would be drawing up legislation and proposing new laws that won’t affect his constituents… He could even be a leader representing a party that failed to achieve a majority in England if Labour manages to win the next General Election.
And the bizarre thing is that none of this is open for debate. No-one is saying “The West Lothian question, yes that’s fair”.
No-one is saying, “Let’s allow a minority party to legislate for England without English involvement”. No-one, that is, except Labour MPs and those with a vested interest in denying England self-rule.
There are three solutions on the table:
English Votes (English MPs) on English Matters
This would still allow a minority party in England to be in government and would still involve a second House (unlike Scotland).
Regions
This is a EU-organised idea which would dilute England’s eurosceptic tendencies and has no basis in cultural ties except in Cornwall…
An English Parliament
This would work, does not need to be expensive like the Scottish disaster and would answer all the constitutional problems.
I would really welcome your comments if you can find a logical argument for the status quo!
Google Quote of the Day
Posted by: Gav in Uncategorized on January 22nd, 2006
Patience has its limits. Take it too far, and it’s cowardice.
– George Jackson
7×7 meme
Posted by: Gav in Gavin Ayling's blog on January 22nd, 2006
I’ve been tagged by Stuart at Wonko’s World.
Seven Things To Do Before I Die
1. Sky dive
2. Run my own company
3. Make a difference
4. Ride every rollercoaster in Europe
5. Visit the world’s most important sights
6. Visit space
7. Be considered modest by someone
Seven Things I Cannot Do
1. Dance
2. Sing
3. Complete this list…
Seven Things That Attract Me to…
1. Mental compatibility
2. Psychic attachment
3. Gentle
4. Beautiful
5. Caring
6. Empathetic
7. Cheerful
Seven Things I Say
1. That’s an interesting point, but…
2. Erm
3. I absolutely agree
4. Guilt? You have to do something wrong
5. Tact? I wish I had some
6. Please (I’m polite like that)
7. I’m canvassing on behalf of…
Seven Books That I Love
1. Magic Kingdom for Sale by Terry Brooks
2. Reader’s Digest Guide to the Places of the World
3. The World According to Clarkson
4. The Ancestor’s Tale by Richard Dawkins
5. A Brief History of Time by Stephen Hawking
6. The Isles by Norman Baker
7. Israel by Martin Gilbert
Seven Movies That I’ve Loved (at different times and in no particular order)
1. 28 Days Later
2. Black Hawk Down
3. A Beautiful Mind
4. Dil Chahta Hai
5. Life is Beautiful
6. Around the World in 80 Days (really, the Jackie Chan version!)
7. The Shawkshank Redemption
Seven People To Tag (in no particular order)
1. Daniel at Optimates
2. Leanne at Outside the Box
3. James at The Right Way
4. James at What’s That Smell
5. UPDATE: Mis-tagged: Gareth at Little Man in a Toque
6. Justin at Chicken Yogurt
7. Lascivious at the Daily Propaganda
24 Hour Drinking (Brighton)
Posted by: Gav in Gavin Ayling's blog on January 22nd, 2006
What an excellent piece of social liberalising legislation… I’m writing, of course, from the point of view of someone who has enjoyed remaining in a pub recently after 11pm.
I welcome comments particularly from anyone who has anything negative to say about the licensing changes.
And if you’re looking for a list of pubs and their closing times in Brighton: click here.
Mark Oaten
Posted by: Gav in Gavin Ayling's blog on January 22nd, 2006
There is so much political capital here… The news that he used a male prostitute while married has got the media machine really excited.
But I don’t get it:
- People shouldn’t be unfaithful — but they are all the time.
- Using prostitutes is illegal — but shouldn’t be.
- Being a politican is completely separate from having a consistent or particular sex-life.
Let’s leave Mark Oaten alone — and why should he resign? I cannot tell you a good reason.
But this is one in the face for all those smug Liberal Democrats who laughed so vehemently at the Tories during their sleaze scandal period.
Utopia – The end of politics
Posted by: Gav in Gavin Ayling's blog on January 21st, 2006
Politics evolves
What is the point of politics? Is it there to find solutions to society’s problems? Is it there to create balance in the way the country is run? Or is it not a thing at all, but a result of the interactions of politicians?
If it is the result of the personalities of politicians and how they inevitably must communicate, debate and decide, is the question better put: What is the point of politicians?
Many in today’s Britain are tired of politics. They see spin, deceit and lies as the order of the day and they assume that they cannot trust anything a politician says. How can you trust a man who claims to have the solutions and fails to deliver time and again? What do people think when they see Michael Howard before the election claiming that the NHS is not up to scratch when they’ve been told since 1994 that the Tories were the ones who messed it up through under-investment?
The problem is that there are solutions to society’s needs and people must be able to trust their representatives or there is no hope. Healthy democracy needs faith in the system and faith in the system is always being damaged by the hope dashed by the incumbent administration.
Read the rest of this entry »
For those who like football
Posted by: Gav in Uncategorized on January 19th, 2006
A very entertaining clip showing some quite excellent football skill. I’ll get back to some serious political dialogue when I have a little more time. Apologies.
Dawkins on Faith
Posted by: Gav in Gavin Ayling's blog on January 17th, 2006
Richard Dawkins had an excellent programme on Channel 4 last night. It was, simultaneously, troubling and hilarious.
He described the God of the Old Testament as the worst character in “all of fiction”. He pointed out the scripture’s inconsistencies and spoke with fundamentalists of all three Middle-Eastern religions.
But the most important point I think he made was his last. While the fundamentalists are reading, believing and accepting the religious writings as they were written and as truth; moderates and so-called liberals are cherry-picking. “Yes” they say “evolution is true and so, by implication, Genesis is not but I still believe Jesus died on the cross for all our sins”. “Yes” they say “God is good, and loves us all, so you cannot agree or condone what is said and done in the Old Testament”. It is neatly skated over that Jesus was Jewish and believed in the Old Testament…
And one final question for those of you who believe (no harm in that) in something that is no more proveable or likely than fairies in my garden:
Why did Jesus contradict the God of the Old Testament?
Nuclear Power… YES!
Posted by: Gav in Gavin Ayling's blog on January 15th, 2006
Nuclear
In response to fellow Brightonian, Natalia Ulla:
With respect there are several good reasons for embracing nuclear power. First, nuclear power does not contribute to greenhouse gases. It is the only viable (currently) power supply method that achieves this.
Second, developments on the horizon mean that nuclear waste will not need to be kept for several millenia in order to make it safe. In fact, by the time the UK was ready to create new power stations, the new technology which is in this month’s Scientific American, will be with us.
Third, we must never decide how to rid ourselves of dependence on Middle East oil (which is very volatile because of the instability of nations in the region) or on Russian gas (for the same reasons) because of fears of what terrorists may do to us.
