Laura To Win Big Brother 8

I met the young Ms. Williams herself on the morning of Thursday 22nd February 2006 at around 9:30am during the group discussion stage of the Cardiff auditions for that year's Big Brother series. She was of course the centre of attention, informing all of us about why there should be a Welsh housemate on that year's show. I told her that television viewers didn't really care about where a housemate came from, only their personality really mattered. She of course wouldn't let the issue die, much to the boredom of the rest of us in the room. From my brief, but memorable first hand experience of meeting her, I soon noticed that she has the ability to hold the attention of those around with her good-natured personality and I strongly believe that she will do very well on this year's show. Good luck to her!

Lugovoy: UK involved in spy killing

A former Russian spy accused of murdering the defector Alexander Litvinenko has sensationally claimed MI6 was involved in his murder.

Andrei Lugovoy said he had evidence the British security services had a hand in the murder of ex-spy Litvinenko, who died last November after being poisoned with polonium-210.

British intelligence agents also tried to recruit him to get information about President Putin - and both Litvinenko and Russian tycoon Boris Berezovsky were on its pay, he claimed.

But the allegations were immediately dismissed by Mr Berezovsky, who described them as further proof Lugovoy was acting according to Kremlin instructions.

Alex Goldfarb, a close friend of Litvinenko, agreed, saying Lugovoy's statement illustrated once again that the Russian government was behind the spy's death.

The startling allegations made at a press conference in Russia are the latest twist in an investigation that has been so full of mystery and political intrigue that it would be more fitting for the plot of a James Bond film.

Lugovoy claimed: "Even if (British special services) hadn't done it (killed Litvinenko) itself, it was done under its control or connivance."

In the translation by Russia Today television channel, he later added British agents had "asked me to collect compromising information on President Putin".

When asked if he could back up the claims, Lugovoy said: "I have evidence", but went no further.

Papers calling for his extradition were delivered to Russia on Monday after the Crown Prosecution Service's announcement that Lugovoy was being charged with Litvinenko's murder. The Russians have already said he will not be extradited.

Quote of the Day 31.5.2007

"The man is smug, self-satisfied champagne socialist hypocrisy personified." - Jackart on the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland & Wales Peter Hain MP

I've had a personal audience with Hain, and I can honestly report that every word of Jackart's statement is true to the letter!

Cardinal attacks abortion rates

The leader of Scotland's Roman Catholics says the abortion rate north of the border was equivalent to "two Dunblane massacres a day" as he stepped up his attack on pro-choice politicians.

Cardinal Keith O'Brien spoke out after issuing a stark warning to Catholic parliamentarians in a sermon of "the barrier such co-operation (on abortion) erects to receiving Holy Communion".

Marking the 40th anniversary of the 1967 Abortion Act in his homily in Edinburgh, he urged decision-makers to stop supporting what he labelled an "unspeakable crime".

Emerging from St Mary's Cathedral after Mass, he told journalists that he would like to see the law of the land changed.

"I think it's far beyond time that the present Abortion Act of 40 years ago was re-examined," he said.

"We are killing - in our country - the equivalent of a classroom of kids every single day. Can you imagine that? Two Dunblane massacres a day in our country going on and on. And when's it going to stop?"

But he denied that he was saying Catholic politicians who back abortion should be cast out from the Church.

"I'm not going to say to those who are involved in any way in helping or aiding abortion whether it's mothers or fathers, or politicians and doctors or nurses, they must consider their own consciences and whether or not they can approach the altar to receive Holy Communion. It's not up to me to judge them, I'll leave that to God to judge them."

In his sermon, he urged politicians at Westminster, which reserves the power over abortion law in the UK, to overthrow the legislation.

The Cardinal also called on universities and medical schools to teach that "all human life" deserved protection.

Quote of the Day 30.5.2007

"I will echo Mr Enoch Powell: At the first hint of British law changing to accomodate Islam, I predict that this country will take up arms. And whatever can be said about Britain.......we do not lose a fight. I do not advocate this, it is merely a prediction based on the evident, bubbling undercurrent of conflict between Islam and humanity." - Kentonmask

The 500th Post: Joysticks

I have just sent this letter to Retro Gamer magazine:

Dear Retro Gamer,

I found Ian Waddell’s letter in Issue 38 fascinating. As an aspiring future politician and a prude, I share his disgust at the presence of pornography adverts in the magazine, but unlike Mr. Waddell, I am a realist. Although retro gaming is growing in popularity, it still and will always only appeal to a dedicated, but niche market. As such, publishing houses need revenue from whatever source is willing to provide it to subsidise the price of a non-mainstream gaming magazine. Keeping the cost of the magazine as low as possible during a time of rising inflation (curse that Stalinist jock Gordon Brown and his collaborators at the Bank of England) is more important to me than the inclusion of cover discs.

Like it or not, sex sells! Pornography and retro gaming both appeal most to 18-to-34-year-old male virgins called Adrian or Darren who have very little-to-no social lives away from the internet. Indeed, both are very similar to each other in the sense both require their enthusiasts to fiddle about with joysticks, imagining that what they are doing is better and more satisfying than is actually the case. If Mr. Waddell wants to boycott the magazine, then that is his prerogative, but all he is really achieving by his actions is cutting off his nose to spite his face.

Yours faithfully, C4' B.A. (Hons.)

P.S. Please, please, please do a feature on the original Warioland for the good old Game Boy? It is one of my favourite games and much better than the rubbish sequels.

Kurt Angle - The Olympic Hero

The Evolution Of Greatness!

A Tribute To Taz

The Best Of Taz.

The song is "Shed My Skin" by Alter Bridge

Quote of the Day 26.5.2007

"So here's Richard Corbett's recipe for an irritating "weblog"

1. Fill a website with foolish ignorance.

2. Add in generous measures of arrogance and intransigence.

3. Take a highly patronising tone. Sprinkle liberally.

4. Apply a no comments function." - Prague Tory

Vote for Ahern holds up

DUBLIN (Reuters) - Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern is on course to win a third successive term but may well have to woo a new coalition partner to be sure of a parliamentary majority, an exit poll showed on Friday.

"It's going to definitely be an extremely close, long process," said Roger Jupp, managing director of pollster Lansdowne Market Research, as officials began counting votes cast in Thursday's election.

Jupp's poll for broadcaster RTE showed backing for the Fianna Fail party at 41.6 percent.

This was little changed from the 2002 election and compared with 38 percent in the last opinion poll of a campaign in which Ahern had to fend off questions over his personal finances and a coordinated bid to oust him by the two main opposition parties.

Support for Ahern's junior coalition partner, the pro-business Progressive Democrats, appears to have fallen and the exit poll gave the two governing parties a combined 44 percent of the vote versus about 46 percent five years ago.

In the 2002 election Fianna Fail and the PDs won 89 seats in the 166-seat Dail (lower house of parliament).

The most likely opposition government, known as the "rainbow coalition" and made up of Fine Gael, the Labour Party and the Green Party, had a 41 percent share.

Ahern would probably have to lure a rival to his side, most likely Labour or the Greens, to ensure a majority if the official result mirrored the poll. The backing of a handful of independent lawmakers might also be enough.

LONG NIGHT AHEAD

Labour, which fought the election on a joint platform with Fine Gael, said during the campaign it would not enter government with Fianna Fail.

But speaking to Reuters on Thursday, Labour leader Pat Rabbitte left the door ajar to a deal with Ahern's party.

Ahern helped bring peace to Northern Ireland during a decade in power when his country became one of Europe's richest. Opponents have promised to improve a "shambolic" health service and overloaded transport network.

Sinn Fein which entered a ground-breaking power-sharing government in Northern Ireland this month, does not look to have made the breakthrough in the south it had hoped for.

The exit poll showed backing for the party at 7.3 percent which was up slightly but short of the 9-10 percent expected.

Exit and opinion polls in Ireland can be deceptive, however.

The country has a complex electoral system of proportional representation that allows people to vote for local representatives rather than national parties and to rank candidates in their area in order of preference.

That means that while the final number of seats won by parties broadly reflects their overall shares of the national vote, it is not an exact science.

Ireland's electorate is relatively small at about 3 million. Counting in some areas may continue late into the night and in some cases will have to resume on Saturday. Parties expect turnout to have been above the 63 percent level in 2002.

Fisking Terry Kelly Part Two

Here are some more pearls of shit from the Rab C. Nesbit of Scottish politics:

"They need a Castro to clean out the thugs and crooks the same as he did in Cuba" - El Tel on 'reforming' U.S. politics

I cannot top what rumbold wrote in reply:

"And to get rid of those pesky election things, and that freedom of the press malarky."

El Tel responded with this:

"rumbold - have you forgotten about 'good ole boy Jeb' in Florida ? I've been over this before but, not with you."

rumbold hits back with another vicious right hook:

"So Castro's behaviour is okay because you think that Jeb Bush does the same? Interesting that you would look to the Bushes to set your political standards. I have a deep dislike of Jeb Bush, and an even greater dislike of Castro."

Despite the pummelling he's taking, the fat bastard retorts with this claim:

"Fidel makes the American Presidents look like pygmies - I know many people who have visited Cuba and your analysis is a prejudiced insult to them. Ill informed bias is not argument.

America's place in the world was damaged a long time ago, the thugs and crooks who are in charge now are just carrying on the tradition."

There are three points I'd like you to note about that last statement:

1. Notice how the self-proclaimed champion against discrimination uses a derogatory term 'pygmies' to attack the incumbents of the U.S. presidency.
2. Terry claims to have know of "many people who have visited Cuba and your analysis is a prejudiced insult to them." While this maybe true, how can Terry be so sure of his own analysis without travelling to Cuba himself? By his own yardstick, isn't the good councillor himself guilty of peddling an argument based on "Ill informed bias"?
3. Notice how Terry attacks America's whole basis for existence as an independent sovereign state. No doubt that Terry wants the U.S. under the thumb of Scottish oppression as has been experienced by England since The Lord Gord Stalin Brown took over the Treasury on May 2, 1997.

"I believe that Cuba is a more democratic country than America where Bush rules with less than 25 % of the vote."

LOL! Yes, a one party state where you can be imprisoned, tortured and killed for criticising the government and it's leader is a paragon of virtue to the leading nation in the free world.

"Bush stole the election and America needs a strong, honest decent socialist leader, someone like Fidel Castro would fit the bill."

I wouldn't trust Castro if he was a used-car salesman. Castro, like ALL socialists, is only out to acquire power for himself and the rest is just window dressing.

Here We Bloody Go Again - Beria & The Nulabs Will Never Learn

LONDON (AFP) - Home Secretary John Reid has announced plans for new anti-terrorism laws on Thursday after it emerged that three terror suspects had absconded from a controversial form of loose house arrest.

Lamine and Ibrahim Adam, aged 26 and 20, and Cerie Bullivant, 24, are on the run after failing to report to police Tuesday, as required by the so-called control orders, a form of house arrest for terror suspects.

The Adams pair are the brothers of Anthony Garcia, 25, who was imprisoned last month for his involvement in a fertiliser bomb plot aimed at attacking targets in London and across Britain.

Their disappearance is the latest embarrassment for the government over control orders -- there are currently 17 in effect and a total of six people have now absconded.

In a statement to parliament, Reid said that orders were imposed on the men "because it was believed that they wanted to travel abroad for terrorist-related purposes."

"They are dangerous and we can take nothing for granted, even though the security services' assessment is that they are not considered at this time to represent a direct threat to the public here in the United Kingdom," he added.

But the head of London's Metropolitan Police, Sir Ian Blair, appeared to contradict this by saying there was no guarantee they were not a threat to people in Britain.

Lord Alex Carlile -- the government's independent reviewer of anti-terrorism legislation -- has said there is "solid intelligence" that the men wanted to target British and US soldiers in Iraq and elsewhere.

Reid also threatened to reignite a rumbling row with judges, MPs and civil liberties campaigners by introducing new legislation to bolster control orders.

"Within the next few weeks, I will be outlining further measures to combat terrorism which we propose to include in a new counter-terrorist bill," he said.

He indicated he would consider taking the radical step of opting out of the European Convention on Human Rights if necessary.

Control orders, which are made by the home secretary, were introduced in 2005 after the government was forced to abandon detention of security suspects without trial when judges ruled it incompatible with human rights law.

Since then, ministers have repeatedly argued that their efforts to deal with terror suspects have been hamstrung by this move.

Prime Minister Tony Blair said Thursday that control orders were "very much a second best option" and "not a strong method of keeping people under control."

"Unfortunately, we were unable to maintain the legislation which we wanted to do which would give us the power to detain people and, in the end, that is the best protection for the British people," he told reporters.

But civil liberties campaigners argue that the orders are no substitute for due legal process.

Shami Chakrabarti, director of campaign group Liberty, said that she hoped control orders would be reconsidered under Blair's successor, Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown, who takes over at the end of June. Reid has also said he will step down from the government when Blair goes.

"We look forward to a new prime minister and home secretary leading a cross-party, non-party consensus that rejects blustering rhetoric for unity in bringing terror suspects to real British justice within the rule of law," she said.

Carlile said in February that plans to replace control orders must be put in place "as a matter of urgency."

Quote of the Day 24.5.2007

"If you're white Christian hetero." - Shotgun in response to yesterday's Quote of the Day

Quote of the Day 23.5.2007

"Well here is some news; it is illogical and incorrect to dislike a social group based purely on nationality or skin colour. But it is clearly right to express disapproval for such a group based on their morals, values and behaviour when we consider those factors to be unacceptable in a right thinking, democratic society." - Kentonmask on the great divide between British Muslims and British Non-Muslims

Ministers fail on 'sham marriages'

The Government failed in an attempt to resurrect its outlawed method of clamping down on "sham marriages" entered into by illegal immigrants.

Three appeal judges upheld a High Court decision a year ago that sweeping rules, designed to block "marriages of convenience" aimed at avoiding immigration controls, were in breach of human rights - the right to marry and the right not to be discriminated against.

The finding of discrimination, a central issue in the case, arose from the fact the regulations did not apply to Church of England marriages and operated to the unfair disadvantage of not only non-Anglican Christians but also members of other faiths, including Muslims and Hindus.

The Government suspended operation of the rules and pledged to put forward amendments to end the discrimination, but challenged the "right to marry" ruling.

On Wednesday, the Court of Appeal held that the restrictions - which applied across the board with no inquiry into whether a marriage was a sham or not - were a "disproportionate interference" with people's right to marry.

Lord Justice Buxton said the Home Secretary could only interfere with a couple's right to marry in cases that involved, or very likely involved, sham marriages entered into with the object of improving the immigration status of one of the parties.

"To be proportionate, a scheme to achieve that end must either properly investigate individual cases or at least show that it has come close to isolating cases that very likely fall into the target category.

"It must also show that the marriages targeted do indeed make substantial inroads into the enforcement of immigration control."

Last year's High Court judgment, won by test case couples including an illegal entrant to the UK from Algeria, led to the launch of claims for damages from many people who say they have been denied the right to marry.

Hundreds of other cases are potentially affected.

Bravo to the judges! Some people will always abuse the institution of marriage for their own ends, but it is better to let these people get away with their sham marriages than to punish genuine married couples because of the actions of others.

Study slams use of the word 'gangs'

The use of the word gangs to describe youths who hang around committing crime could make their activities worse, a study has claimed.

The Youth Justice Board conducted a major study on gangs and concluded that the term is "inappropriate". It also suggested replacing the phrase "gang-related" with "group-related".

The organisation, which believes some youngsters could view the gang image as "seductive", said: "Juvenile gangs do exist in some urban areas, but most young people involved in group offending do not belong to gangs - even if others label them in this way.

"Many young people interviewed for this study resented the way in which the term had come to be used to describe any group of young people involved in anti-social behaviour.

"They felt adults attached the label to them simply on the basis that they were young and met in a group, assuming that crime was their main purpose for meeting.

"In fact, the label conjured up an image with which they might not want to be associated, even where they were involved in offending - not least because in some cases they knew from their own local experience what real gangs were and several of the young women in particular had suffered at their hands."

Chris Stanley of crime reduction charity Nacro said: "The YJB is right to highlight the fact that although a lot of young people who offend do so in groups, that does not mean that they are part of a gang.

"The confusion over this distinction simply leads to the glamorisation of gang membership and increased fear amongst young people.

"Although there is clear evidence that gangs exist, they are still relatively rare and tend to be run by older people involved in the drugs trade.

"Young people need increased opportunities to get engaged with mainstream activities, alternative activities to keep them from offending, and intensive work for those who are offending."

What a load of politically correct bullshit!

Hewitt faces 'no confidence' vote

Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt is facing a Commons vote of no confidence over her handling of the controversial new system for allocating training posts to junior doctors.

The Conservatives have used one of their opposition day debates to table a motion calling for her salary to be cut by £1,000 - the traditional way of signalling no confidence in a minister.

Junior doctors have complained that thousands of careers have been jeopardised by the botched introduction of the new computerised Medical Training Application Service (MTAS).

The Department of Health confirmed that Ms Hewitt - who was on Wednesday addressing the Royal College of Midwives - would be in the House for the debate, which is expected to start at 4pm.

Although Labour's Commons majority should ensure that the motion is defeated, the debate will enable the Tories to again focus on the introduction of MTAS, which has been the subject of fierce criticism.

The debate comes as the High Court is due to rule on a claim by the junior doctors pressure group, Remedy UK, that the system is legally flawed.

The chairman of the British Medical Association James Johnson has already been forced to resign over the debacle after failing to reflect the anger within the medical profession over MTAS.

However Ms Hewitt - while apologising for the system's failing - has steadfastly resisted calls for her to quit.

In the name of God Hewitt, go and go NOW!

Well Bugger Me!

It seems that Iain Dale is a bit fed up with all of the foul language in the comments sections of his blog. While I do not approve of censorship, I can understand why he wants to have a crackdown on swearing.

Most of you must have noticed that has been an increased use of curses on this blog recently, such as the word 'cunt'. This is down to both the 'bad' influence of my friend and fellow blogger Shotgun and my rather vain attempts to win a Bloody Devil award from The Devil's Kitchen.

Iraq: Prince Harry & WMDs

Another day, another news story concerning Iraq! If someone is whinging about whether the 2003 war was legal or not, others are complaining about the lack of WMDs or something else.

Recently, the burning issue has been about whether Prince Harry should be deployed to fight in the south of the country. First he was to be deployed, then his deployment was under review, then reconfirmed and now cancelled because of a combination of new intelligence and existing fears of the Prince and those under his command being at greater risk of attack from insurgents than would normally be the case. The whole issue has been mishandled by both the army and the media, with the later in particular being guilty of abusing their freedoms by being prepared to put the Prince’s life at greater risk of death to increase their revenue. Not content with having a hand in his mother’s death and harassing his brother’s ex-girlfriend almost to an early grave, now the media are out to bury Harry himself six feet under.

Should Harry be deployed in Iraq? Yes, he should and he wants to serve his country. The army should have respect his wishes not to be treated differently from his army colleagues and the fact that he is spared from conflict but others are not and would be court-marshalled for refusing to deploy in Iraq is the height of hypocrisy and a national disgrace. When Harry decided to join the army, he knew full well that he was potentially signing away his life. Thus, if Harry’s deployment in Iraq meant that the insurgents would spend more of their time and resources trying to harm and kill him and his friends instead of innocent civilian men, women and children, then that would certainly be more preferable than the continuation of the bloody and evil status quo. If the army are not prepared to deploy Harry in Iraq, yet compel other service personnel into action against their will, then the government are morally obliged to withdraw all British ground forces from the country as soon as is possible. It is either all for one and one for all or nothing at all!

The issue of WMDs

Were there weapons of mass destruction in Iraq? It is quite clear that there were and thus both George W. Bush and Tony Blair were telling the truth on that score. Not only were WMDs smuggled out of Iraq by Saddam Hussein to Russia and China via Syria and international shipping docks such as Rotterdam, Netherlands in exchange for cash to finance a Baathist insurrection after the then-impending Anglo-American military liberation, but also some WMDs are still being discovered in Iraq today. Over the past six months, American forces have discovered hundreds of WMDs still left over from Saddam’s rule. Let us not forget, that shortly before the Coalition of the willing launched their military liberation campaign, United Nations’ weapons inspectors still found Iraq in possession of illegal WMDs in violation of previous UN resolutions. Even when hostilities between Iraq and the Coalition finally broke out into open conflict, Iraq still launched illegal missiles at Kuwait in a futile attempt to destroy the Anglo-American bases in the country.

Two more things should be noted with regard to WMDs. Firstly, Saddam himself was often misled about the reality of his WMD programme by his own scientists. These scientists took advantage of Saddam’s intellectual ignorance to gain greater financial and material privileges from themselves by overstating the progress they had made in his realising his objectives. If Saddam Hussein himself could be misled into believing that he had a stronger hand militarily than was the reality, can anyone blame the United States and Great Britain for taking him seriously? Secondly, what exactly can be considered a weapon of mass destruction? The consensus is that any biological, chemical and nuclear weapon is a WMD, but doesn’t common sense remind us that anything can become a WMD if it is in the possession individual or group that intends to use it in a violent and homicidal manner?

Quote of the Day 22.5.2007

"The greatness of a man’s character is best judged not by the number of friends he has but by the number of his enemies." - "Ultimate" Warrior

Fisking Terry Kelly

Once again, our old friend Cuntcillor Terry "Six Bellies" Kelly comes out with some more trash on his blog. Here are some of the 'highlights' of his most recent post:

"Hilary [Clinton] and the other democrat hopeful Barack Obama both support the death penalty, and Iraq, in the USA they are left wingers, [John] Edwards, a third so called left wing democratic candidate recently spent 800 dollars on his hair cut, that's normal according to left wing senator Edwards, seriously."

Firstly, Barack Obama has consistently opposed military intervention in Iraq before, during and after the 2003 conflict. Secondly, didn't a certain Scottish hero of El Tel's recently spend £100 on a haircut at a celebrity salon before giving a speech denouncing the cult of celebrity in politics? Oh dear Terry, you should have been more careful in doing your research before yet again making a fool of yourself with that tripe you wrote.

"There were famous rich players on show who didn't enhance their reputation in any way, with the honourable exception of Didier Drogba who is quite simply a force of nature. IMO if you sat down a panel of experts and asked them to come up with a perfect centre forward, Didier would emerge, big, strong, brave, fast, skillful and a mentality which does not allow failure, he gave the fans their money's worth."

Drogba didn't contribute much to the match other than his admittedly wonderful goal, whereas Rooney made some fine, devastating runs at the heart of the Chelski defence; runs that had he had had better support up front from his teammates and manager would have resulted in United scoring at least twice in the second half. Although I don't have an complaints about the result (bar the performances of both teams, especially in the first half), United did played the better football of the two teams, but Chelski, like all great teams did enough when it mattered most to win and I applaud them for that!

Ex-spy on Litvinenko murder charge

An ex-KGB agent is to be charged in connection with the murder of poisoned former Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko, the Crown Prosecution Service said.

A warrant has been issued for the arrest of Moscow-based Andrei Lugovoy, although there is no extradition treaty with Russia.

Director of Public Prosecutions Sir Ken Macdonald said the case was "clearly in the public interest".

Sir Ken described the murder as an "extraordinarily grave crime".

He said: "I have today concluded that the evidence sent to us by the police is sufficient to charge Andrei Lugovoy with the murder of Mr Litvinenko by deliberate poisoning.

"I have further concluded that a prosecution of this case would clearly be in the public interest.

"I have instructed CPS lawyers to take immediate steps to seek the early extradition of Andrei Lugovoy from Russia to the United Kingdom, so that he may be charged with murder - and be brought swiftly before a court in London to be prosecuted for this extraordinarily grave crime."

The full CPS charge is that Lugovoy murdered Mr Litvinenko on November 23, 2006.

Mr Litvinenko died in hospital in London after being poisoned with the radioactive agent Polonium-210. The former KGB officer was a fierce critic of President Vladimir Putin's Kremlin regime and had been granted political asylum in the UK.

Sir Ken said Mr Litvinenko died of "acute radiation injury" after ingesting a lethal dose of Polonium.

Brown will be "pro-Europe, pro-reform"

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's relationship with Europe will not change under Gordon Brown, Prime Minister Tony Blair said on Monday, predicting London would remain "pro-Europe" and in favour of reform in the European Union.

"The basic position of the government will remain unchanged, I think it'll be pro-reform and pro-Europe," Blair told a meeting of European business leaders in London.

Blair, will hand over power to Chancellor Brown on June 27, after 10 years as premier.

"The most important thing for us is to have a strong position in Europe but use it to argue the case for all the reforms and changes in Europe that are necessary and I'm very confident that will remain the position of the new prime minister," he said.

Brown is widely held to be more Euro sceptic than Blair. He kept Britain out of the euro currency on economic grounds, despite Blair's belief it was the country's destiny to join.

Brown attended EU finance ministers meetings episodically and often issued admonitions for Europe to reform its economic policies and free up its markets.

Aides say Brown is not against Europe, however, and that he believes EU cooperation is essential to tackle issues like climate change and terrorism. Analysts, though, expect him to drive a harder bargain than Blair.

Blair said political change in a number of countries meant that Europe had a great opportunity to push for economic reform.

"There is every possibility I think with the new leadership in Germany and in France and also here, where we'll continue the policies we've been pursuing as a government ... of getting the right attitude towards the economy of the future," he said.

But he said strong protectionist forces still existed in the EU and called on business to argue for reform.

"I sometimes think that business in Europe does not make its voice heard vigorously and robustly enough," he told top executives from companies including British Airways, Rio Tinto, Telefonica and Repsol YPF.

"There's a very good opportunity for business at this point of change, and where there are these possibilities for the future, it's important that business ... gives a clear statement of where it thinks the European economy should go," he said.

As Blair met with the business leaders, the Conservative Party said his presence as prime minister was pointless given he would soon hand control to Brown.

Staff asked to 'snoop' for police

Council staff, charity workers and doctors could be required by law to tip off police about anyone they believe could commit a violent crime.

The Home Office proposals, leaked to the Times newspaper, insist public bodies have "valuable information" that could identify potential offenders.

Possible warning signs could include heavy drinking, mental health problems or a violent family background.

The Tories say the plans would require staff to "snoop on their customers".

Civil liberties campaigners are concerned that people could be put under police surveillance despite having committed no crime.

The proposals for "multi-agency information sharing" were circulated in Whitehall by Simon King, head of the Home Office violent crime unit.

They are being viewed as an attempt to close a loophole which allowed Soham murderer Ian Huntley to get a job in a school, despite previous accusations of violence.

'Worrying profile'

The leaked document states: "Public bodies will have access to valuable information about people at risk of becoming either perpetrators or victims of serious violence."

It says when staff become "sufficiently concerned" about an individual, that person should be should "risk assessed" and, if necessary, referred for further attention.

Mr King suggests two new agencies be created - one to collate reports on potential offenders, the other on potential victims.

New laws would also be needed to place staff under a statutory obligation to report any concerns, he adds.

Supporters say the plans build on existing local arrangements used to try to prevent domestic violence by identifying those at risk.

But Jago Russell, policy officer at campaign group Liberty, said the proposals left many "unanswered questions" about what should be done about someone with a "worrying profile".

"How far are we willing to go in pursuit of the unrealistic promise of a risk-free society?"

The Conservatives claim the policy would simply increase bureaucracy.

Shadow Home Secretary David Davis said police already had a considerable "administrative burden" without having to "wade through file after file of speculation and guess work".

A spokesman for the Home Office said the proposals were at an early stage and no decision had been made.

"However, the Home Office has its duty of public protection as its top priority," he added.

Source: BBC NEWS

Quotes of the Day 21.5.2007: The Bob Piper Edition

It is not often that I have something good to write about Sandwell Councillor Bob Piper, but on this occasion, he has come up with some good observations and cracking quotes:

"Yes, Gordon Brown, in order to prevent his government being held to ransom by the Blairite right, does a deal with the Lib Dems that lead to Labour being.... held to ransom by the Lib Dems in perpetuity! Terrific, Robin [Blackburn], just bloody terrific!"

"If I had to choose a winner it would be Manchester. They at least like to attack, have two players of genuine world class ability (no, not you Rio) and feign injury less often than Drogba, Robben and that Brian Phelps of the football pitch Joe Cole, and I'm sure I cannot be alone in finding almost everything Ashley Cole says or does to be utterly repugnant. Finally, Manchester United have a manager that even I, who detest them, have to admire. Prior to building a good side at Aberdeen, Ferguson had been sacked by St Mirren for "unpardonable swearing at a lady on club premises" allegedly whilst under the inflence of alcohol.... the St Mirren directors must feel like that guy from Decca who passed up a chance to sign the Beatles. At Manchester United Ferguson has built at least three good teams and in my opinion only Brian Clough comes close to emulating his achievements in post war English football."

New police 'spy drone' takes to sky

The Hunter-Killer Orbital Weapons Defence Platform aircraft from The Terminator film trillogy

The UK's first police "spy drone" has taken to the skies.

The remote control helicopter, fitted with CCTV cameras, will be used by officers in Merseyside to track criminals and record anti-social behaviour.

The drone is only a metre wide, weighs less than a bag of sugar, and can record images from a height of 500m.

It was originally used for military reconnaissance but is now being trialled by a mainstream police force.

The spy plane was launched as a senior police officer warned the surveillance society in the UK is eroding civil liberties.

Ian Readhead, deputy chief constable of Hampshire Police, said Britain could face an Orwellian situation with cameras on every street corner.

However, senior officers in Merseyside, who are trialling the drone, said they did not believe it was the next phase in creating a Big Brother society.

Assistant chief constable Simon Byrne said: "People clamour for the feeling of safety which cameras give.

"Obviously there is a point of view that has been expressed but our feedback from the public is anything we can do to fight crime is a good thing.

"There are safeguards in place legally covering the use of CCTV and the higher the level of intrusion, the higher the level of authority needed within the police force to use it. So there is that balance there."

Quotes of the Day 19.5.2007

"They should name a rubbish tip in his honour!" - barnacle_bill about Tom Watson on Iain Dale's Diary

"This is utterly disgraceful. At a time when politicians are rated by the public way way below other jobs (double-glazing salesmen? fine fellows, at least they're not politicians) to do something so obviously self-serving is appalling." - jafo about Members of Parliament exempting them from the Freedom of Information Act

"This shameful and disgraceful Bill can only damage the reputation of Parliament and of the political class who are effectively saying they should be above the law which applies to the rest of us. At a time when Politicians are perhaps held in less regard than estate agents or second-hand car salesmen, they have the effrontery to tell the public who pay their salaries and expenses that they are determined to make themselves unaccountable.

Get writing to a sympathetic Peer." - The Huntsman

"I'd like to sack all of the greedy, slimey, self serving fat cats with their snouts sunk so deep in the public purse that they voted for this corrupt evasion of democratic accountablity.

This is the sort of corruption I expect in a Communist regime, not a democratic state.

So much for Cameron's claim that he'd restore greater accountability and democracy then. He's Blair's heir alright, no doubt about that." - anonymous

"So we get ID cards and they get an exemption form the FOI.

There's a rude word for that.

I suspect the ones who didn't vote supported the idea as well." - Rachel

"If I were the press, I start investigating every single one who voted for this stinking bill - it is a disgrace and one wonders what those who voted for it have to hide. The first thing I would do is find out which MPs employ a relative, then I would find out who is using public money i.e. House of Commons stationery to answer their fan mail for the non-politcal books they write, then I'd get started on the ones who you don't see for dust from Thursday afternoon on but somehow made it in to vote today.

As for the MPs who didn't come in many have long standing constituency engagements and surgeries that can't be changed but I suspect that many of them were totally unprepared for the utter perfidy of their fellow MPs. A disgrace, pure and simple." - anonymous

Fines 'boost retail crime'

Penalty fines for shoplifting have reportedly led to a big increase in the crime, retailers have said.

Introduced in 2004, police could issue the fixed £80 notices instead of an arrest for first-time offences and thefts of goods worth less than £200.

But the British Retail Consortium (BRC) says the fines encourage serial shoplifters who know they will not face serious charges if they are caught.

BRC spokesman Richard Dodd said: "Too many retailers feel police don't take retail crime seriously - it is way, way down on their list of priorities. At government level sentencing is so weak that people are just not put off stealing from shops.

"A lot of these are people who are repeatedly stealing in order to fund a drug habit and they believe, unfortunately rightly, that there will be no serious sanction on them if they are caught."

Shoplifting cost the British economy £2 billion last year alone, according to the BRC.

Justice Secretary Lord Falconer said shoplifting was being tackled and it could even be punished by up to seven years in jail.

But he indicated earlier this month that current prison sentences for people who commit acquisitive crime, such as shoplifting or burglary, may be too long.

Who's fucking idea was it to introduce these fines in the first place? That fucking cunt Adolf Blair himself, that's who!

Another Reason Why Hillary Rodham Benn Should Not Be Deputy Commissar

I just came across this gem about his/her father Tony from that Homonazi Johann Hari:

"In 1981, Tony Benn and Dennis Healey stalked each other across the country, smashing into each other at pitched-battle debates that always seemed inches away from a riot. Healey was often unable to speak because he was screamed down; one of the groups backing Benn for the leadership was the Posadists, who called for "an intergalactic revolution" and believed socialism would be brought to earth by aliens. Asked if he welcomed their backing, Benn unironically said "socialism is a broad church, and I don't want to rule people out."

No doubt it was all a hilarious adrennaline-rush to the people there. It was also such a farce that Labour kept on losing elections by landslides, handing the country to Thatcher-Tebbitry."

Quotes of the Day 18.5.2007

"Iain you SHOULD be reading only right wing stories to try and get some balance as 99% from the BBC is left leaning at best." - Johnny Norfolk on Iain Dale's Diary

"Brown Stalinism: no heterodoxy permitted." - One Party State

"The BBC. Because we're not commercially viable" - Sockpuppet

The final quote is the best because it demonstrates how the equally obnoxious trio of Johann Hari, Antonia Bance and Jo Salmon can turn even the most enthusiastic gay rights activists into rabid homophobes.

"Out of 179 Tory MPs, only 17 are women - and that's if you count Ann Widdecombe as female."

Cunts!

A World Without America

God Bless America!

The Climate Change Hypocrites

I could not have put it any better myself! Fuck You Ecofascist Cunts!!!

Oh Please Dear God....?

Don't let George W. Bush make Tony "Adolf" Blair the next President of the World Bank? Herr Blair was Britain's worst and first Nazi Prime Minister and that socialist tax-and-spending cunt would be even worse at the World Bank because he would give away our money to his corrupt and tyrannical friends in the Third World.

Quote of the Day 17.5.2007

"If it is too dangerous for Harry, it is too dangerous for the rest of the troops out there." - Rose Gentle, whose 19-year-old son Gordon died in Iraq, on the head of the British army, Richard "Commander Cunt" Dannatt's decision not to deploy Prince Harry in the country as was originally intended

New police powers condemned

Sweeping new police powers announced by Home Secretary John Reid have been condemned by opposition politicians and human rights groups.

Mr Reid said he wants to pass new laws allowing officers to evict nuisance neighbours and board up their homes. He also disclosed new plans to extend use of controversial Taser stun guns.

But shadow home secretary David Davis said the powers to target anti-social yobs were "simply a headline-grabbing gimmick". Mr Davis said: "After 10 years of failure to address crime and its causes this is a pitiful attempt by a lame duck Home Secretary to convince the public he is taking effective action."

Mr Davis continued: "The small print reveals that this will only apply to about 50 families a year. In any case these families will be re-housed so the problem is simply being moved on."

Director of human rights group Liberty, Shami Chakrabarti, said: "Dr Reid's parting gift contains his characteristic enthusiasm for punishment without trial. Making kids homeless because their parents are noisy and extending punishment for criminals indefinitely will not only be a future Home Secretary's headache but yet another shadow on the rule of law in this country."

Officers in England and Wales will be allowed to temporarily throw anti-social residents out of their homes, whether they are council tenants, private renters or even own the properties.

The dramatic new powers - which the Home Office said would only be used as a last resort - are based on measures already in force to tackle crack houses and other drug dens.

Mr Reid - who is stepping down next month - confirmed previously-announced plans for Violent Offender Orders which will impose tough conditions on dangerous criminals.

The Government has also reached its target to recruit 16,000 police community support officers (CSOs) by April this year, with 10,000 recruited in the last year alone, he said.

The target for the number of CSOs was originally 24,000 but was scaled back after senior police officers said they would not need so many to deliver the Government's neighbourhood policing projects.

Why Hilary Benn Should Not Be Deputy Leader

• He is the son of a man would if he had had his own way, would have turned Britain into a third-world satellite state of the Soviet Union.
• Hilary is a girl's name!
• Benn Jr. is not only the son of a cunt with a girl's name, he is also helping to prop up the fascist New Labour regimes of Adolf Blair and Gordon Stalin and giving hundreds-of-millions of pounds worth of taxpayers money to corrupt tinpot dictatorships in Africa and the rest of the third-world.

Dr. "Doom & Gloom" John "Beria" Reid & The Home Orifice Fear Iain Dale

"Oh no, Kyptonite!!!"

Terry Kelly - A Correction

Yesterday, Conservative Mind broke the news of Cuntcillor Terry Kelly having plastic surgery on his face. Unfortnately, an error led to a picture of Terry Venables being used as Cuntcillor Kelly's new face. However, the image below is the correct one of everyone's favourite retard, but I must report that El Tel does seem to be the worse for wear from his operation.

"I will never have a facelift again. NEVER! NEVER! NEVER!!!"

YEAH! Kurt Angle Is The New NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion

KURT ANGLE CROWNED NEW WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION

History was made at Sunday’s “Sacrifice” as Kurt Angle claimed the World Heavyweight Title in the three-way bout against former champion Christian Cage and Sting. Cage tried all he could to stir the hatred between Angle and Sting, but in the end, it was Angle getting Sting to tap out to the Ankle Lock just as the icon was scoring the pin on Cage. As a result, Kurt Angle is the new World Heavyweight Champion!

Ten times the king!

New NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion

4-time WWE Champion

1-time World Heavyweight Champion

1-time WCW Champion

2000 King Of The Ring Winner

1996 Olympic Games 100Kg Freestyle Wrestling Gold Medalist

1995 World Championships 100Kg Freestyle Wrestling Gold Medalist

Michael Howard Destroys Alastair Campbell on Newsnight

Bring back Howard as the leader of the Conservatives!

You can tell that that cunt Campbell was really shitting himself as Howard torn him a new arsehole.

We're going down with Gordon Brown

Who can save us from going down with Gordon Brown?

This is a great music video by the good people at ConservativeHome.

Terry Kelly Has Plastic Surgery For His Face At The Taxpayers Expense

BEFORE

AFTER

Quote of the Day 14.5.2007

"IT WAS MY BLOG WOT WON IT" - Cuntcillor Terry Kelly on the recent Scottish council elections

For once in his life El Tel is right, it was his blog that won the elections.... winning them for the Scottish Nationalist Party.

What a dope he is!

Iain Dale, You're A Lucky, Lucky Bastard!

The only reason West Ham United won at Old Trafford against Manchester United yesterday was because Sir Alex Ferguson allowed it as an act of charity. If we did not have to face Chelski next Saturday in the F.A. Cup Final at the new Wembley stadium and if we had not already won The Barclays Premiership title the previous week, we would have sent you down like Gordon Brown. You now owe us a favour next season!