A reply from the bubble.

The Westminster bubble that is.

I posted the below paragraph translated into Afrikaans (My son’s partner is fluent in the language. Hi Rialette), into a post at the beginning of the month, in reaction to this article in the Mail.

The Coalition is reviving Labour's ill-fated scheme to snoop on all British citizens online – despite the fact that it was opposed by Liberal Democrats and Conservatives when in Opposition.

All conversations over the Internet and e-mails can be recorded if the government is planning a massive expansion in surveillance.
The coalition is reviving Labour's ill-fated scheme to snoop on all UK citizens online - despite the fact that it was opposed by liberal and conservative while in opposition.
Internet service providers will be required to keep records of all e-mail messages on social networking sites and talks about Skype.
The content of the calls or messages will be recorded, but the authorities will have a court order to obtain if they want to hear or read the contents.
However, the police and security will be able to access details of the communication between and what time they occur without a court order demanding.

In the mail when I returned home today I found that I had received a reply to a letter that I had penned to my MP, about the above.

Dear Mr Filthy Engineer,

many thanks for your letter of April 3 letting me know of your concerns about the Government’s policy on surveillance.

My understanding is that the Government may be back tracking on the proposals put forward. I am nonetheless going to put your concerns directly to the Home Secretary whom I have asked for the latest position as far as the Government is concerned on it’s proposals in this important area.

I shall be writing to you again when I receive this reply.

I wonder what the further letter will hold.

 

I’m glad I’m now able to post from a computer rather than a smart phone.

Hypocrites

There has been an early day motion put forth in the house of commons, (I refuse to capitalise that pit of snakes), to stop the beer duty escalator being continued in this budget. Their reasoning is that this would slow down the demise of our Pubs and Clubs.

Now most of us have realised that the rapid decline of the pubs has been directly linked to the smoking ban introduced in June 2007. (I rarely use a pub now as I refuse to have to venture out into the British weather to partake of a perfectly legal habit.

It would seem that out of the 97 signatories, (Why do we need 650 members of parliament, if so few can be bothered to turn up?), 47 voted for the smoking ban. Have they no shame. (Then again I suppose being MPs they are above the rest of us. Or just thick as two short planks to realise what the smoking ban did).

I give you the list of the hypocrites, Maybe one of these is your MP? Why not drop him a note exposing his hypocrisy.

Mine’s not on the list as the lazy bugger only ever submits quite banal questions, as far as I can see, to  justify his existence (He voted strongly for the smoking ban). He can’t use the excuse that he is busy with his constituents, I have lived in his ward for 45 years and he has never knocked on my door. Needless to say, Sir John Stanley, I’ve stopped voting for you. 

Anyhoo here’s the list:

Peter Bottomley (Con), James Clappison (Con), David Anderson (Lab), Adrian Bailey (Lab), Kevin Barron (Lab), Clive Betts (Lab), Tom Brake (LD), Annette Brooke (LD), Lorely Burt (LD), Menzies Campbell (LD), Martin Caton (Lab), Tom Clarke (Lab), Rosie Cooper (Lab), Jim Dobbin (Lab), Frank Doran (Lab), Jim Dowd (Lab), Louise Ellman (Lab), Paul Flynn (Lab), Don Foster (LD), Mike Gapes (Lab), Andrew George (LD), Mike Hancock (LD), Stephen Hepburn (Lab), David Heyes (Lab), Jimmy Hood (Lab), Martin Horwood (LD), George Howarth (Lab), Gerald Kaufman (Lab), John Leech (LD), Tony Lloyd (Lab), Steve McCabe (Lab), John McDonnell (Lab), Alan Meale (Lab), Austin Mitchell (Lab), John Pugh (LD), Linda Riordan (Lab), John Robertson (Lab), Dan Rogerson (LD), Bob Russell (LD), Dennis Skinner (Lab), Gerry Sutcliffe (Lab), Mark Tami (Lab), Joan Walley (Lab), Robert Walter (Con), Hywel Williams (PC), Mark Williams (LD), Mike Wood (Lab)

Go on give them hell. Ask the awkward question.

Meanwhile I’m going to pour myself a large duty free whisky and settle back in my armchair and saviour a large cigar, knowing for the moment that I can.

Save me from pontificating MPs

MPs have called for a drastic reform of the pub industry to stop locals closing at an "alarming" rate.

In a strongly-worded report, the Business Select Committee criticised the large pub companies which run most of the country's pubs, so-called pubcos, saying self-regulation had failed.

The committee said that after being given a number of chances to change the way it runs the business, pubcos should now be subjected to statutory regulation.

That statutory regulation you want to bring in? Look at the last one you brought in. The smoking ban. Have you not thought that, that in itself, has done the most damage to the hospitality industry?

Maybe you haven’t read this you muppets.

Almost three years after the introduction of smoking bans in the three countries, Scotland had
lost 7.1% of its pub estate (467 pubs), Wales 7.3% (274), and England 7.6% (4,148). Scotland,
which introduced a smoking ban a year earlier lost a further 4% of its pub estate in the fourth
year after the ban, mirroring a similar decline in Ireland (11%) which banned smoking in pubs in
2004.
Total pub losses in England, Scotland and Wales since the introduction of smoking bans in all
three countries are in excess of 5,500.
According to CR Consulting’s report, which was commissioned by the Save Our Pubs & Clubs
campaign, “While there is significant variation in the trajectories of pub closures before the ban,
there is an almost total correlation between the three countries after the ban.
“This indicates that they are affected by a strong common factor ‐ the smoking ban. The
correlation is in fact so close that the trend line for the three countries is identical.”

I would suggest that you MPs and your so called select committees butt out and do what you do best. The only problem is the only thing I think you have any expertise in, is fiddling your expenses and being professional liars.

I used to go to a local pub every Sunday before the smoking ban and had to fight my way to the bar. Now I rarely go once every three months. last Sunday I went. There were only five others in the pub, one of which was the barman. The other three were with me.

Just get out into the real world outside the Westminster bubble and speak to real people. Get away from your sycophants, and your lackeys in the MSM (a certain Nick Robinson from the BBC springs to mind) if you want to find out why pubs and clubs are closing at an alarming rate.

God give me strength. I truly hate the cunts. My MP hasn’t the decency to even acknowledge my correspondence. Yes you, John Stanley, you waste of space.

Guy Fawkes had the right idea. Roll on November the fifth. (or should that be filth)

Holiday entitlement.

I really can’t believe that our politicians are so out of touch with what the average commuter has to put up with, and come up with this.

We’re buggered if we are going to be inconvenienced by the Olympics.

Those poor MPs are going to take extra holiday because they are going to be put out by the road/rail chaos that will ensue during their puff piece that I for one never had a say in.

I mean , really, how many private companies would stay in business if every worker was allowed to take time off to see his/her (I must be PC here) entertainment of choice.

And the Nub is here.

Parliament will rise on July 13 to avoid the tight road restrictions being put in place for the Games.

So what. The public that pays their wages can’t just pick and choose to down tools when the local roadworks inconveniences them. Definitely a case of we are above you plebs.  They really haven’t a clue of how they are held in so much contempt.

Some comments on the article.

One rule for them... one for us. 'Twas ever thus.
- Abie Vee, Hendon NW££, 31/05/2011 16:17

We could pay off the deficit if all 650 of them went on gardening leave - and not one of them would be missed.
- R.F.Yorke, Yorks,, 31/05/2011 15:02

Why don't they shut down for their summer break and never come back? Parliament is an outmoded and useless institution that costs the taxpayer an obscene amount of money. Why do we need these parasites?
- Joe Blow, Wales, 31/05/2011 13:37

They obviously need the extended holiday so they can stick their snouts in the Olympic trough and not have to worry about getting back to 'work'
- Johnny Reggae, south east, 31/05/2011 12:42

What a joke!
They take 2-3 weeks at Easter, 6-7 weeks in the summer and 2-3 weeks at Christmas along with all school half-term holidays. This totals some 3-4 months holiday breaks per year. Maybe we should put them all in school uniform, pay them £30 per week and send them off with a packed lunch on the bus with their free pass.
The job does not end because it's a weekend, holiday or some form of anti-social timing. Get on with the job and start sorting out UK's mess. You could begin by scrapping your gold-plated pensions, reducing your holidays to maximum of 5 weeks per year and it would make a very pleasaant change for MP's to be affected by their decisions.
- Guy, Croydon, 31/05/2011 11:49

Strange? There was not one comment in support.

You've been Cromwelled

If you want your MP to know how you feel about his troughing then use this site.

You've been Cromwelled

2010. The truth will come out

Hat Tip to G.O.T

I've broken my radio (Almost)

I threw my radio across the bedroom after listening to the Today programme this morning.

The wingeing about how MPs' were being badly treated made my blood boil. Then came Harriet Harperson. Aaaaaaaaaaaaagh.

Not for those with high blood pressure. Listen here.

They still don't get it

Various MP's are furious and are saying that they won't pay back the money that they claimed in error.(Must be careful, Carter Ruck maybe lurking)

There are growing signs of a rebellion among MPs in Westminster this afternoon, as politicians from all three main parties ignore their leaders and publicly question the accuracy, validity and authority of Sir Thomas Legg’s expenses letters.

Will they not see that the public do not see it that way. The public see them as troughers of the worst order.

it's all in this article in the Times on Line

We need a new TV channel

"Former Home Secretary Jacqui Smith has been told to apologise in the House of Commons for breaching expenses rules."

I don't think it's enough to just apologise to the house of commons. I think they all need to apologise to the entire country on national TV. Maybe an award for the best grovelling exscuse.

Come on Murdoch. Give us a channel. (You'd never get the BBC to do it).

I suggest that it is called "Trough Factor", or "Strictly Apologising".

Make it a pay to view channel. They pay, for us to view. (And NO, Jacqi, you can't claim it on expenses)