Intelligent Post Alert!

Okay, I know I don't do this often. In fact, even this post amounts to nothing more than a shameless stealing back of my comment on someone else's blog. But I was impressed by the relative smarts displayed in my comment to feel it warranted reproducing here. And I quite like the blog it is on, so you can take this as being my feeble attempt to apologise for not linking with it by (hopefully) sending some traffic its way. To understand the context of my comment you'll have to read the original post anwyay. :-P

My comment:
"although, if we want to be accurate about it, that great reformist government of 1945 were merely implementing that great liberal reformist Beveridge's ideas from 1942. and while it ought to be noted that the NHS turned out much better under Labour than it would have done under the Conservatives (and the national government during the war did attempt to implement in 1944 but failed due to BMA rejection of their proposals), it was actually more Nye Bevan's strength and persistence which resulted in the NHS as we now know it to be. the rest of the government were less averse to introducing charges on 'extra' services - this was the premis pon which Bevan later resigned from Cabinet (although other factors did, arguably, play a role).

technically, historically, it can be claimed that Clarke is not, therefore, out ofsync with the party. I still think it a bit of a dumb comment though. Even from a purely economic point of view, intrducing charges for rehab will mean less people opt for it. they will likely then experience further medical ailments which the NHS will then have to remedy. in terms of admin staff coping with readmissions and the cost of providing this care, it seems plausible to suggest that Clarke's suggestion would be economically unjustifiable. That said, I've not researched the costs sufficiently to answer on this with any certainty, this is just my observation.

why i don't post like this on my own blog baffles me."

Now, I'm gonna go back to reading a brilliant essay by Jun'ichiro Tanasaki.

Labour Deputy Election Facebook Update (5)

Okay, here's the week's roundup of how the respective deputy candidates are doing on facebook. To make it a little more useful, I've cross-referenced the groups sizes from my last update, so the first numbers in brackets indicate what the sizre of the group was at the last count, and the second set of bracketed number very handily give you the size change over time. Over christmas, I'm hoping to do an update which looks at how the groups have done since I started blogging about them. Note the operative word in that sentence, hoping.

As we can see (below), two candidates have lost support since the last update, while the rest of the groups continue to display growth. The largest growth is evident in the Cruddas group, up 6 on the last update. It will be itneresting to see how the growth rates change over the coming months - I wonder if the Cruddas group can maintain its title as the biggest growing group?

Facebook Deputy Leader Support Group Update in Numercial Terms:

Johnson - 229 (233) (-4)
Cruddas - 51 (45) (+6)
Harman - 15 (11) (+4)
Blears - 14 (15) (-1)
Hain - 13 (11) (+2)

Trevor Phillips U-Turn.

This one's for Will, who commented on my ealier post about the 2006 Racial Equality Awards.

We all recall Trevor's speech in September 2005 where he advanced the argument that we were sleepwalking into segregation, don't we? Well, on 7 March 2005, the BBC reported that Trevor had made a slightly different speech. This one suggested that it was in the interest of black pupils, particularly black male pupils, to be taught separately from their contemporaries in school.

Yet, six months later, Trevor made the now infamous "sleepwalking into segregation" speech and, "Mr Phillips told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that schools should be leading the way in terms of integration but research had shown they were in fact slightly more segregated than their wider neighbourhoods." Quote taken from, yes you guessed it, the BBC.

And, as an early Christmas present to my readers, I have saved you the trouble of having to click on the links, by reprinting the two pieces, both from the BBC, below.


Black boys 'segregation' rejected

Black boys' exam results are below average
Teaching underachieving black boys in separate classes for some subjects has been rejected by the government.
Trevor Phillips, head of the Commission for Racial Equality, suggested they might benefit from such a move, which had been tested in the United States.

But the Department for Education and Skills said such separation would have "negative effects" and risked "stigmatising" black pupils.

Head teachers had questioned the legality of racially-divided lessons.

In England, only 27% of Black Caribbean boys got five or more good GCSEs last year, considerably below the national average for boys of 46.8%.

Among girls, 44% of Black Caribbean girls achieved five or more good GCSEs, against a national average for girls of 57%. Black Caribbean pupils are also three times more likely than white pupils to be excluded.

'Wall of attitude'

After visiting a scheme in the US, Mr Phillips suggested some black boys were hampered by a lack of self-esteem and positive role models, as well as an attitude that being clever was not cool.


Saying, 'I want you to go to room five instead of room one because you're black', potentially could create a great deal of difficulty
Martin Ward
SHA

School separation 'no solution'
Black school's traditional values

"If the only way to break through the wall of attitude that surrounds black boys is to teach them separately in some classes, then we should be ready for that," he said.

But the Department for Education and Skills said research showed segregation was not the best way forward and could "have negative effects in terms of teacher and pupil expectations".

"There are schools where black boys are achieving at the highest level. These schools don't segregate pupils in the way suggested," said a spokesperson.

'Extra help'

The Secondary Heads Association warned any segregation based on skin colour could create "great difficulty" and may be illegal.


If it's a scheme to help their education then how can it be racist?
James Bucknall, Scotland

Have Your Say

SHA deputy general secretary Martin Ward told BBC News: "Saying to a pupil 'right, I want you to go to room five instead of room one because you need extra help', that's one thing.

"Saying 'I want you to go to room five instead of room one because you're black' potentially could create a great deal of difficulty."

But Shahid Malik, chairman of the Labour Party's ethnic minority forum and a former CRE commissioner, said "many African-Caribbean people would feel it was a debate whose time had come".

Black teachers

Speaking on BBC's Inside Out programme Mr Phillips had also suggested black fathers not living with their sons should be denied access to them if they refused to attend parents' evenings.


If they can't be bothered to turn up for parents' evening, should they expect automatic access to their sons?
Trevor Phillips

Raising black performance
Teachers' Jamaican lessons

And he called for more male black teachers, tempting them with extra cash if necessary.

His comments were not aimed at black girls - GCSE results in England show that "black African" girls are scoring higher grades than "white British" boys.

The CRE said that Mr Phillips had not called for all black boys to be segregated in schools.

It said he was "not sure" how the US measures would work in the UK, but that he felt "we should look at the scheme to see if we can learn anything from it".

Inside Out will be broadcast at 1930 GMT on Monday on BBC One in the London area.




Britons warned over 'segregation'

The young are 'more exclusive' than older people, Mr Phillips said
The UK must enforce "equality, participation and interaction" to avoid US-style segregation, the head of the Commission for Racial Equality says.
Failing to do so could lead to people living in a New Orleans-style Britain of passively co-existing communities, Trevor Phillips warned.

It was a worrying fact that "younger Britons appear to be integrating less well than their parents", he said.

The comments were "very pessimistic" said his predecessor, Lord Ouseley.

Mr Phillips was speaking at a Manchester Council for Community Relations lecture.


If we allow this to continue, we could end up... living in a New Orleans-style Britain of passively co-existing ethnic and religious communities
Trevor Phillips

Schools 'must fight segregation'

He cited economic and racial divisions in the US which, he said, were highlighted by Hurricane Katrina.

"Residentially, some [UK] districts are on their way to becoming fully fledged ghettos - black holes into which no-one goes without fear and trepidation, and from which no-one ever escapes undamaged," he said.

"If we allow this to continue, we could end up in 2048, a hundred years on from the Windrush, living in a New Orleans-style Britain of passively co-existing ethnic and religious communities, eyeing each other uneasily over the fences of our differences."

'American nightmare'

Mr Phillips said America's "segregated society" had been caused by a "failure to act until they were in too deep to get out of the state they are now in.


To be so sweeping to suggest that in Britain we're not talking to each other, we're not aware of differences, we're not getting on in many parts of the country, I think is totally wrong
Lord Herman Ouseley

"That is why, for all of us who care about racial equality and integration, America is not our dream but out nightmare."

Mr Phillips also warned that communities were being left "marooned outside the mainstream".

These would "steadily drift away from the rest of us evolving their own lifestyles, playing by their own rules and increasingly regarding the codes of behaviour, loyalty and respect that the rest of us take for granted as outdated behaviour that no longer applies to them".

And he warned that levels of racial segregation in Britain could create a "fertile breeding ground for extremists".

"It also remains true that younger Britons are more exclusive than older Britons," he said.

Community relations

Lord Herman Ouseley, a previous head of the CRE, said: "I think he's right not to warn us to be complacent because there are difficulties and problems in some parts of the country.


"But to be so sweeping to suggest that in Britain we're not talking to each other, we're not aware of differences, we're not getting on in many parts of the country, I think is totally wrong."


Home Office Minister Paul Goggins welcomed the issue of integration being raised.

"We have very good community relations in this country and its something to be proud of and to build on," he told BBC News.

"But he's right to say we need to do yet more to make sure our communities are fully integrated."

Earlier on Thursday, Mr Phillips told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that schools should be leading the way in terms of integration but research had shown they were in fact slightly more segregated than their wider neighbourhoods.

Blogging and Campaigning: Notice Board. MUST READ!!

Okay, I posted about an event recently and some of us thought that it would be useful if there was some level of Labour organisation when it came to publicising events. I went away and did plenty of thinking (okay, about ten minutes while at work today), and I cam up with this:

A New Blog (No, this one isn't closing down, it will be another blog), inventively titled "The Notice Board."

I'll set up an email account to which anyone can send their events. It will be checked at certain points during the day, and events listed. This way, in addition to being advertised on individual blogs, there will be a blog-format one stop shop for all events. They can be campaigning events, CLP events, think tank events, anything Labour related (even in the most tenuous of ways - all charities, etc., also welcome).

Posts will be tagged with their topic, and region, and the region name will follow the format given by B4L for ease of use.

It would, of course, be useful if other bloggers volunteered some time to sustain this project - the more we have, the less time will be taken up for each of us. Since you would have access to the email address people send events to, I would have to require that you are first listed on B4L as 'proof' of your legitimacy.

I'm hereby calling upon NewerLabour and Parburypolitica to do their fair bit. Mainly because the latter suggested the idea, and the former is a student. Being a student entails (a) having a lot of time, and (b) thinking ideas like this are worth doing. Taken together, (a) and (b) entail (c) signing up to help. Any other volunteers are more than welcome.

I suggest people email and include links by simply posting the url before the word(s) they want used as the link. If it is more than one word, please indicate using quotation marks (or something similar. We can then perfrom the requisite actions vis a vis inserting code.

Please post your comments regarding this idea. If it is supported, I shall personally set up the new blog, an email account for it, and pledge to email all Labour MPs and thinktanks (over the next month or two, given that its Christmas), informing them of this new and wonderful service. But please post, even if its only a "yes, I agree" post, so I have some idea of the level of support for it. Any suggestions for how to develop it (bear in mind my lack of IT skills beyond simple blogging), would be welcomed, too.

Deputy Candidate Faces Inquiry.

According to the BBC, a senior QC, Peter Scott, has been appointed to investigate whether Peter Hain misled the High Court over the interim victims commissioner appointment.

It doesn't say how long it will take for the inquiry to present its findings, but this surely cannot be conducive to any campaign Hain might be making for the deputy leadership of the party. But I think he should be given the chance to answer the claims being made against him. I just wonder what he'll have to say about it all.

Tentative Support for MP's Pay Rise Claims.

Recent news has included MPs demanding a 66% pay rise something this blog feels would be fair. Considering how much they currently get paid (about £55-60 k per annum) and the hours they put in, they are severely underpaid. Compared to headteachers, one wonders why anyone wold become an MP.

However, I emphasise the "tentative." I just got off the phone with my dear folks, oop nawf (see picture, right*). We had the usual conversation, I was mainly calling to see how my pops was, having just been released from hosdpital, so I did the requisite "wish I was still around, feel bad not being there" line (which is genuine). Then my mother got onto this pay rise business and, specifically, my abysmal financial treatment since working in Westminster. I defended the pay rise as being fair, but the fact is (as she insisted on pointing out to me, and as everyone else feels necessary to point out to me, like living on boiled rice for two months hadn't escaped my attention) they could have prioritised their demands. I'm sure I'm not the only one who can see the legitimacy of their case yet also feels that they would have appeared more justified in raising said case had they also included (and perhaps empahsised) the need for a pay increase for staff and an intern's fund of some description.



* I wish I was exaggerating, but this really is where I was born and raised. Okay, I am exaggerating slightly - the fire has since gone out. But that is where I was born and raised. I just couldn't find an "after" shot.

Labour Deputy Election Facebook Update (3) and My Support for Cruddas

Okay, I have been messaged by el tom to remind me that I am currently neglecting my duties in this regard. So here's an update of this week's standings.

Johnson - 218 members
Cruddas - 39 members
Blears - 15 members
Hain - 7 members
Harman - 6 members


This blog is, of course, supporting Jon Cruddas for Deputy. Having seen him speak, I would argue that he is capable of appealing to a wide range of voters/Labour Party members as he is a formidable personality and is capable of very accurately pitching his speeches/comments to their intended audience (i.e. he doesn't speak over the heads of those who are not experts, yet doesn't patronise those who are). He is the kind of politician who has the potential to be great; he engenders a sense of belief and trust in his audience towards him.

Furthermore, it is wholly evident that something must be done to stem the decline of party membership and political activism more generally. While some point to the rise of single issue grous, as someone I was recently reading astutely ointed out, there is a problem that the idea of direct democracy is being replaced by direct debit. Jon Cruddas is the only deputy leadership candidate who has given a clear outline of how he intends to reform the party stucture so as to empower the grassroots and create genuine incentives for support. He is also (to the best of my knowledge, do correct me if I'm wrong) rightly critical of the idea of supporter's clubs for political parties and how an increase in their scope could act as a disincentive to join the party proper (something I was critical of in an Anticipations article last year).

His plans to separate the party deputyship from the governmental post serves as an indication of his lack of personal gain as a motive for running for this office, and his long standing anti-facism work on the ground is further evidence that he is not merely uttering platitudes designed to curry favour with the currently favoured (i.e. the electorate in this race), but is committed to his plans and lives up to them hmself - a refreshing level of integrity which is as forceful as a slap to the face of cynics of the political process.

Regarding the anti-facism work he has done/is doing, as much as I hate to bring anecdotal arguments to the fray, I have to say that, as someone who spent four years being attacked on the grounds of race (quite seriously attacked), I have the utmost respect for the assiduous work he has undertaken.

My only concern regarding his stance thus far is the possibility that empowering the grassroots could lead to a similar situation as that created by the rise of the Militant Tendency faction within the Labour Party in the late 1970s and early 1980s and the damaging effect it had in places like Liverpool where it bankrupted the council. However, this is not a necessary concomitant of party reform; it would infact be detrimental to the party since the effect of MT in Liverpool was a dampening of party support and grassroots involvement which persists to this day (they bankrupted the council in 1985, not last month or anything). In this regard, I am happy to work with him to ensure that such an event is unlikely to reoccur, and I am confident that he is also concerned about this aspect of party reform. I would rather work with him to ensure that it is prevented than to use it as the sole, and hardly justifiable basis, upon which to withdraw my support for his campaign.

In short, Cruddas rocks!

Cue music.

Info For Local Councillors and "Community Leader" Type Folk.

mkay, as part of my "seriousness" drive, I have recently become aware of the fact that Barry Quirk, the Chief Executive of the London Borough of Lewisham, has been asked by the Government to conduct a review into the effectiveness of powers and policies pertaining to community management or ownership of public assets. The reports is due in spring 2007. Any local councillors or group leaders who have attempted to introduce community management or ownership may want to look into this and, perhaps, even contribute information to the report.

And with that, Scrybe's good deed of the day is done. :)

Christmas scam - Watch Out.

oka, in another bout of laziness I've c and p'd this from another site, schmoo on the run, but I thought it worth bringing to the attention of those who missed it. so here goes:

Tuesday, November 21, 2006
crime for christmas: postal scam alert

WORSE SCAM THAN 'THE MINT' ON ITV HITS BRITAIN

The Trading Standards Office are making people aware of the following scam:

A card is posted through your door from a company called PDS (Parcel Delivery Service) suggesting that they were unable to deliver a parcel and that you need to contact them on 0906 6611911. This is a premium rate number.

DO NOT call this number, as this is a mail scam originating from Belize. If you call the number, and you start to hear a recorded message, you will already have been billed £15 for the phone call.

If you do receive a card with these details, then please contact Royal Mail Fraud on 0207 2396655 or ICSTIS (the premium rate service regulator) at www.icstis.org.uk

Englishness, Britishness, and A Time-wasting Device For People Like Me.

Okay, I'm setting my faithful readership a task. I want to know what your identities are. Do you identify with being English, with being Scottish, with being British, or European, or with a local identity? You may, of course, choose as many as you want.

But I also want to know what you think each identity consists of. What function does the identity have for you? e.g. is Britishness a political/state identity, while English is more of a cultural one? Don't take what I've given as an example to be a rigid template - I want to know what your views are. How important are your different (country, state, etc) identities, and how are they important?

It seems to me that most of the commentators in this field spend most of their time disagreeing with each other. So I'm interested in your responses. And background details of relelvance are, of course, welcomed. (If you don't feel comfortable posting all that on here, you can email it to me at scrybe_84@hotmail.co.uk )

Then, tomorrow (or maybe later today if I get your responses quickly enough) I shall post something intelligent for once. Don't consider this a punishment though - you needn't read it if you don't want to.

I know a lot of you are at work right now, so I'm expecting something.

Thanks. :)

Is A Brown Coalition An Orange One?

According to Jasper Gerard in CiF, Gordon Brown is courting the LibDems in the case of a hung parliament. And he is not averse to the idea of electoral reform, either. Gerard thinks Gordon wants to being his Prime Ministership in similar style to his start as Chancellor, with "fireworks" (so, we can take it a November election is on, then, lol), distancing himself from Blair as he does so. And what better way to achieve this than by changing the electoral system?

However, the problem with this (or one problem, of many) that I have pointed out repeatedly elsewhere, is that a change in the electoral system for the House of Commons could have a significant impact on what can be done to reform the upper house, the Lords. I've always found it amusing (in a slightly despairing way) that proponents of Commons electoral reform are often those who also favour an elected Lords. The problem with this is that if PR is introduced to the Commons, what system is used to elect the Lords?

(1) We can use the same system in both houses. This was Italy's style. It didn't work there. We'd end up with a duplication of houses, in terms of their composition, and the purpose of the Lords would be called into question since it would just delay the introduction of legislation, rather than amending it.

(2) We can abolish the Lords. Great way to increase the power of the Government vis a vis other political actors.

(3) We can have a system like STV (single transferable vote) in the Commons and full PR in the Lords (party list). Great. That way we can have a Lords with no independents and strong party control. Just what we wanted to achieve. Again, hardly likely to result in power being decentralised.

(4) We can use a system like AV+ or MMP in the Commons, with STV in the Lords. The flaws in this plan could be written about at great length (and they have - but Alan Johnsons seems not to have read any of it). Suffice it to say that there are strong reasons why this is a very very very stupid idea. AV+ is even dumber than MMP (I honestly think that anyone involved in designing AV+ should have their intelligence tested and their degrees and other qualifications revoked, since this idea demonstrates that they probably only obtained such qualifications through deception).

Oh. Dear.

Gordon, ask me for a copy of "Constituting the Constitution." You might find it useful.