Tour Series

Just been to watch the Tour Series cycle race in Backpool, and it was fantastic.

An hour hard slog over a 1km circuit with three sprint laps, every 15minutes, and a final 5 laps after the hour. Fantastic entertainment and tonight's race is on ITV 4 tomorrow night at 7-00pm.

If you like that the next heat is on Thursday night in Southport.

Venezula's Chavez Dictatorship

Latin America has a special interest for me, so the following article particularly drew my attention. Alvaro Vargas Llosa is always worth a read and the Independent Institute always worth a visit:

Showdown In Caracas
June 3, 2009
Alvaro Vargas Llosa



CARACAS, Venezuela—A group of foreign writers, academics and politicians was invited here to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Cedice, a Venezuelan think tank that promotes liberal democracy and the market economy, both of which President Hugo Chavez wants to destroy. The government’s thuggish reaction turned the visit into a public showdown that helped expose what Venezuelans are going through these days.

Although there were visitors from three continents, the authorities took aim particularly at those from Latin America. Four of us were detained at the airport, in my case for three hours, and told to refrain from making political comments. We were followed by the secret police—known as DISIP—in cars with no license plates, and a hostile mob was sent to the main venue. Agents masquerading as journalists were instructed to provoke us. The president and his ministers took turns insulting us on TV from dawn to dusk.

Once the official welcoming became an international media embarrassment, Chavez changed tactics and invited us to debate him and a group of “revolutionary intellectuals” none of us had ever heard of. The president did not really intend to debate, but we decided to put the ball back in his court. I suggested that novelist Mario Vargas Llosa, my father and the senior figure in our group, debate Chavez one on one. A few of us would accompany him to witness that basic conditions be met: no government mobs in the room, and live coverage on the government-controlled networks. Former Mexican Foreign Minister Jorge Castaneda, Mexican historian Enrique Krauze, Colombian writer Plinio Apuleyo Mendoza, our hosts Rocio Guijarro and Rafael Alfonzo, and others backed the suggestion. We put it to Chavez; as expected, he backed down.

The Cedice event and the government’s response helped to convey a simple truth about Chavez—that the emperor has no clothes. Venezuelans had been told that we were imperialists bent on destroying the revolution. But Chavez needs no such help; he is doing a fine job of it himself.

Two years after blocking the ability of Radio Caracas Television, the oldest network in the country, to broadcast over open airwaves, the government is going after Globovision, an independent network. Chavez has levelled trumped-up charges against the owner, Guillermo Zuloaga, who also has several Toyota dealerships and has been indicted for “hoarding” vehicles in order to resell them through “usury.” Globovision itself is officially accused of spreading fear for criticizing the authorities’ slow response to an earthquake and disrespecting the president. Chavez has promised to close down the network.

Opposition mayors and governors have been stripped of their powers and are being viciously persecuted. Manuel Rosales, mayor of Maracaibo and a former presidential candidate, has received political asylum in Peru. The mayor of Caracas, Antonio Ledezma, who gave our group a welcoming speech, dramatically told us that his country is now “a dictatorship.” Retired Gen. Raul Baduel, a former Chavez loyalist who broke with the president during his first attempt to change the constitution in pursuit of “indefinite re-election,” is now in prison.

The Official Gazette, where government decrees are published, has become an ode to theft. On a daily basis, it announces the takeover of local and foreign businesses—rarely with compensation. The nationalizations, often executed through violence, affect all areas of the economy: telecommunications, electricity, oil fields in the Orinoco Basin and oil field services, steel and cement production, banks, metallurgical firms, the food industry and agricultural land. The victims include Venezuelan, American, Mexican, French, Spanish, Swiss, Japanese and Australian investors.

Only a few foreigners have been spared—notably Brazilian companies, because Chavez is begging Brazil’s government for money. The corrupt mismanagement of the state-owned oil company PDVSA has seen production drop by one-third. Given the commitments made by Chavez on behalf of the Bolivarian revolution when the price of oil was much higher, the government is seriously short of cash. Chavez knows that his political machinery, based on expensive patronage and intimidation, is in jeopardy.

Thanks to Chavez’s overreaction, which gave the Cedice event a wider audience than expected, millions of Venezuelans were able to hear about our different experiences with authoritarian populism. They should take heart in the message that it can be reversed and that they are not alone in trying to prevent a second Cuba in the Western Hemisphere.

BNP,Sackcloth And Ashes

Here, in the Telegraph, is Alistair Darling self-flagellating about the BNP winning two seats in the European parliament, with a bit of grovelling from David Cameron towards the end.

A sense of proportion might not go astray here. They won two seats having received fewer votes than they did in the 2004 Euro elections.

I spoke to somebody I know last week who voted BNP, he did it because so many national figures were obsessively telling people not to. His reasoning was: "If this shower of dodgy MPs and ministers keep telling me not to do it, with their track record of thieving and lying, then I will do it just to teach them a lesson". He will no more vote for them in a serious election than I would.

The vote for smaller parties dropped and,let's face it, UKIP have done nothing in serious elections since their success in 2004. So I am hardly bracing myself for Griffin to be the next Prime Minister.

Rather than mainstream politicians blaming the electorate, or even the BNP, they need to take a good, long, hard look at themselves and, for once in their extremely well paid and cushy careers, actually take responsibility.

Jane Kennedy MP Talking Gibberish

Scousers do like to talk gibberish. I'm not sure if Jane Kennedy is a full blown Scouser, or just represents the Liverpool constituency of Wavertree, but this is typical MP/Scouse gibberish on her departure from the government:

"He did not re-appoint me. My view was I was sacked. His view is that I resigned. In the end it was my choice to go."

Hope that clears up any misunderstanding about whether she was sacked or resigned.

Labour Party Disaster?

What a strange election.

Yes Labour's share of the vote dropped by 7% and they lost 5 MEPs. But the Conservative vote only went up 1.2%, and they gained only 1 MEP. Scotland is yet to declare but it looks like the SNP will gain at Labour's expense.

I am most concerned that the smaller parties failed to make a proper breakthrough. Yes UKIP gained 1 MEP (vote up 0.5%) and the BNP, sadly, gained 2 (vote up 2.5%), but a low turnout has to be a huge advantage to smaller parties whose hardcore vote will turn out come hell or high water. Apart from UKIP and the BNP the smaller parties, although increasing their vote slightly, didn't make any significant breakthroughs with the Greens only retaining their 2 seats. Here is a full national breakdown.

So yes a terrible night for Labour and Gordon Brown but did the Tories really take full advantage? I would say no. Labour did poorly in 2004, admittedly not as badly as this, but went on to win a general election in 2005. In EU elections people know there is little point so will protest vote knowing that there is little at stake. It looks to me like the next general election could produce a tiny Conservative majority or, more likely, a hung parliament. Sadly there seems little hope of a smaller party breaking through yet.

Full BBC election results.

53rd Biennale-Venice

We visited the 52nd Biennale in Venice and can't believe it's now two years ago, but it is. The only problem was that in 2007 Tracey Emin was responsible for the British pavilion. We enjoyed the rest though.

Today sees the start of the 53rd Biennale and if you are fortunate enough to be visiting Italy, Venice particularly, then you really must get to la Biennale before it finishes in November.

Below is a link to the official website.

53rd Venice Biennale

Women In Politics

A nice piece in the Sunday Times today by Rod Liddle:

Off they went, one by one, Labour’s monstrous regiment of women. The nagging harridans, the terminally bovine, the frail and charming, the clever, the stupid, the poutingly minxtastic - all gone, gone. There are now about as many women left in the cabinet as in the Long Room at Lord’s.

Over the years they have left in dribs and drabs - Ruth Kelly, Fiona Mactaggart, Estelle Morris - but this week we have seen a stampede of pretty little feet for the exit. Last out was Caroline Flint, a doughty feminist who nonetheless conceded to pose for a glam centrefold in The Observer.

She says Gordon made her do it. The money shot, however, came on Friday with her interminable and fabulously piqued letter to Brown, the tone of which suggested he’d been caught with the au pair. You don’t care for my feelings! You don’t understand me! I’m just a sex object to you!

Feminists have lamented that this has been a terrible week for women in politics and, by and large, blamed men. But there are still plenty of women left in Westminster - simply that an awful lot have decided that high office is a bit too much like hard work.

“I wanted to laugh, play with children, read novels!” Fiona Mactaggart said, by way of explaining her disillusion with ministerial life.

Still, it’s a shame about Ms Flint. The temptress of the Don valley at least put a bit of colour into grey politics.

Legalize It-Peter Tosh

Caroline Flint

‘Female window-dressing’ or serious politician?

I suppose compared to Hazel Blears, Jacqui Smith or, God forbid, Margaret Beckett.....

Looking for Eric-Eric Cantona

The man is still a God to Mancunians, and the film comes out on June 12.

The World's Gone Mad

Swimming goggles have been banned by a North Wales school for fear they could injure pupils, it has been revealed.

Critics say it is one in the eye for common sense but school leaders at Ysgol Bryn Coch in Mold, said they are only safeguarding youngsters.

They say injury could occur if a pair of goggles snapped onto a child's face or if a lens popped out unexpectedly.

Bloody morons shouldn't be running schools!

Friday Funday

Here's one for our glorious Prime Minister:



For our dearly departed Home Secretary, Jacq-boot Smith, here's X-Ray Specs:



And finally, for the Labour Party in their hour of need, Joy Division:



Now call a bloody election and piss off the lot of you!

Ever Been Had By James Purnell?

Gordon Brown has. It's all looking so obvious now isn't it?

Another one bites the dust!

Time to sling your hook Gordon, even your own morons don't want you any more.

And as for the dickheads who voted Labour, you all deserve a bloody good kicking. In fact you should receive one good solid kick up the backside for every day these morons have been in power. Wouldn't be so stupid again would you? Actually, you never know.

General Election

It seems that Gordon Brown may not be reshuffling so much as shuffling off the political coil. With the deadheads resigning and running for cover he seems to have few people to reshuffle in his cabinet or even to bring in. It really is great fun, it's a bit how I imagine it would feel watching Liverpool, Everton and Manchester City all about to be relegated in one season.

According to the Mail Online even Lady Mandy is trying to defend the PM, which must mean his days are numbered:

"Peter Mandelson has appealed to Labour MPs not to back an attempt to bring down the Prime Minister as Gordon Brown fights to save his premiership. Meanwhile BBC Newsnight reported that the Chief Whip, Nick Brown, had fingered five alleged ringleaders of the plot to oust the Prime Minister".

I bet the five ringleaders didn't enjoy that from Nick Brown either!

I remember the rumpus in the seventies when Labour rule brought the country to its knees, this all feels familiar if quite different, which is typically clueless socialism. This time it looks like we are hurtling towards a very British type of anarchy, a PM who can't get people to join his cabinet!

Surely a general election by October at the latest.

Peter Oborne sums up Brown's plight in an excellent article:

"The truth is that Gordon Brown has been betrayed by those on whom he thought he could rely most closely. The Labour Party's pet newspaper, the Guardian, inflicted one stunning blow when it called yesterday for him to quit".

So Brown's days are numbered and surely even the Labour Party wouldn't be arrogant enought to plonk another unelected PM in Downing Street. So the only thing is to oust Brown and call a general election, with a new leader. According to Labour rebels a new leader could be in position in 23 days.

Only problem is it could be one of the bitches, Blears, Harman, Smith etc. It seems that the coven have been plotting regularly behind Brown's back, they still seem to have the hots for Tony, and the word is that Caroline Flint will kick off today just to add to Gordon's woes.

It's great fun.

Hazel Blears

Rejoice, rejoice. The runt has left the litter.

Hazel Blears resigns.

I love Salford, in fact I very occasionally, even now, get to watch Salford RLFC. Sorry but I can't bring myself to call them Salford City Reds, shit, I just have. But for God's sake people of Salford, it will take a long time for us to forgive you for putting that little bitch onto the national political scene.

Oh what fun we had! Bring on that general electon.

English Democrats

It's the last day of campaigning in the fake European election. I had intended to abstain but couldn't bring myself to do it when the postal ballot papers arrived, even for a fake election it seemed wrong not to vote somehow.

So I've looked at all the parties and decided to vote for a party that I least ideologically opposed. So out went the BNP and The Green Party. Next went No2EU and Scargill's bunch of 1970s throwbacks aka the Socialist Labour Party. Next came Libertas, too pro-EU as are the big three, so they were out.I didn't know what any individual member of The Jury Team believed, it's a shambles, so they were out.

I whittled it down to UKIP, the English Democrats and the Christian Party. Sadly I think UKIP now sets the cause of EU withdrawal back and has become just another vehicle to get people on the gravy train, hence their campaign strapline of 'lend us your vote for the European election', implying they are not bothered about Westminster from where withdrawal, if it ever does, will come.

I admire the Christian Party but couldn't bring myself to vote for a religious party. So I ended up voting for the English Democrats. At least they have a full programme and their policy of equality for England isn't based on hatred of another group, as the SNP and Plaid Cymru are on hatred of the English.

But, more importantly they are highly unlikely to win. So I exercised my democratic right, but without helping give somebody a leg up onto the gravy train, at least not directly.

However, come the general election I look forward to voting, and campaigning for, the Libertarian Party.

EU Election June 4th

The BBC have produced a guide to all the parties fighting the European elections on Thursday.

At-a-glance: Party-by-party guide

Jacq-pot!

The bitch is to resign as Home Fuhrer, I mean Secretary.

She's standing down in the imminent reshuffle. Here is the story.

And the bonus ball is that Beverley Hughes is also standing down "for family reasons".

Must be saving the really good news, like Hazel 'The Runt' Blears standing down, for another day. Don't want to spoil us do they?

It's great fun all this, and very therapeutic.

David Chaytor and Patricia Hewitt

Bury North Labour MP David Chaytor is standing down.

Here is a full profile of this MP.

What it doesn't tell us is that he is one of the thieving gits who stole, from you and me, by claiming for a mortgage he didn't have.

Good riddance you scum!

More good news, Patricia Hewitt is pissing off back to Australia too. About time.

EU and County Elections

Almost one third of voters are not planning on backing any of the three main parties, according to research.

A ComRes poll for the Independent put support for "others" at 30%, up 18% since before the expenses row erupted.

The rating is neck and neck with the Tories - who have plummeted 15% from the equivalent poll last month.

Labour has dropped four points to 22%, while the Liberal Democrats were up one on 18%. The Greens were on 8%, Ukip on 7%, the BNP 3%, the Scottish National Party 2%, Plaid Cymru 1% and other smaller parties or independents 9%.

Meanwhile, an Ipsos Mori poll found support for Labour has plunged by 10 points in the past month, and the party is now running neck and neck with the Liberal Democrats.

The dramatic slump in Labour's fortunes has allowed the Conservatives to pull 22 points clear, according to the research.

While support for all the main parties has declined in the aftermath of the MPs' expenses scandal, Labour appears to have fared the worst by far.

The Ipsos Mori poll put the Tories on 40%, down one since the same survey last month. But Labour was down 10 points, putting the party on the same support as the Lib Dems, who were down four on 18%.

At the same time, support for minor parties has doubled in the past month to 24%, including 7% for the UK Independence Party, 6% for the Greens and 4% for the British National Party.

The poll will harden expectations that Labour will be given a drubbing in Thursday's European and local elections.

The big problem seems to me that the smaller parties could cancel each other out, especially in the Euros, thus allowing the big three in.

In my county council division the smaller parties are either not standing or have merely put up a paper candidate. They just don't get it, they will not win parliamentary seats until they prove what they can do at council level.

So for now, it looks like we are stuck with big empty gestures and useless protest votes, only the Green Party, of the smaller ones, actually seem to be taking politics seriously.