6 years ago
Friday, 26 February 2010
What Do You Want Your MP To Fight For?
Channel 4 Political Slot - 25th February 2010 ... Caroline Lucas on the streets of Brighton Pavilion, asking voters what they want their MP to fight for in the next Parliament.
What Do You Want Your MP To Fight For? A Fairer society, better pensions, jobs, better quality of life.....
Labour Bullies Anti Bullying Charity
National Bullying Helpline (NBH) was established in 2002 and acquired Charity status in 2007. NBH has traditionally been associated with workplace bullying advising both employees and employers - but recently extended its remit to cover all nature of bullying, specifically playground bullying and bullying within neighborhoods and local communities. The charity can advise and speak on a variety of issues and to become the instinctive 'port of call' for those struggling with bullying issues. NBH works with the media on issues which have a bullying element. Where confidentiality is sought it is always given - unconditionally. NBH relies on gifts and donations and operates with the support of Employers and the Voluntary sector in Wiltshire.
So there is some irony in their being bullied by the Labour government. The attack came when Christine Pratt, NBH chief executive and founder, said staff from No 10 had contacted her. Ms Pratt was widely criticised for going public and has offered to resign. The Charity Commission has said it will prevent any more details of calls being disclosed and is also investigating the helpline after getting 160 complaints. Mrs Pratt spoke out last weekend following allegations in a book about Gordon Brown's temper and behaviour towards staff.
The Charities four patrons stepped down, and the helpline shut down, but it has since reopened. I was surprised to hear one of those patrons was Conservative MP Ann Widdecombe. Mrs Pratt has given no information about those who called her despite being challenged to do so by Labour; so it seems to me that she has kept her confidentially. Labour of course has a history of this; Dr Kelly died after they gave his name to the press. The way they behaved over Jane Griffiths lost them the seat in 2005. She said "There is a serious problem of bullying within the party in Reading".
The row began on Sunday with a story in the Observer - based on a book by journalist Andrew Rawnsley - alleging that Mr Brown grabbed staff by the lapels, shoved them aside and shouted at them.
Reading Labours bully in chief has hit out at the charity, saying 'In her haste to help the Conservatives, Mrs Pratt not only breached her duty of confidentiality but failed to stand up any of her claims.' So challenging her to reveal more while attacking her for revealing anything. Typical of Martin. As is his name calling; 'the aptly named Christine Pratt' indeed. He gets a bit confused at one point, stating ' the National Bullying Helpline, whose existence must now be in doubt.' They exist as much as the Labour party does, who will remain the longer is a question. Labour nearly went bankrupt in 2008, they became morally bankrupt some years before.
Judging by the language coming from Martin I suspect most of the complaints about this charity are from Labour supporters. In which case I suspect they will thrive, the nation certainly needs them.
The irony there being that many people in Reading have been bullied by Martin, he once threatened me with violence and also with legal action. I stood up to him and his threats proved empty. So I call on all oppressed people to stand up to the bullies; thats how to defeat them.
The National Bullying Helpline is the only Charity in the UK providing Free support in all corners of Society, whatever the nature of the bullying (abuse, physical assault, discrimination, wrongful dismissal, bullying at home or in the community, hurtful remarks, bullying in schools - both in the playground and the staff-room). Their mission is to provide professional, timely, support to those who need it. They specialize in Dispute Resolution, Mediation, Facilitation, Law and Training and Development.
So there is some irony in their being bullied by the Labour government. The attack came when Christine Pratt, NBH chief executive and founder, said staff from No 10 had contacted her. Ms Pratt was widely criticised for going public and has offered to resign. The Charity Commission has said it will prevent any more details of calls being disclosed and is also investigating the helpline after getting 160 complaints. Mrs Pratt spoke out last weekend following allegations in a book about Gordon Brown's temper and behaviour towards staff.
The Charities four patrons stepped down, and the helpline shut down, but it has since reopened. I was surprised to hear one of those patrons was Conservative MP Ann Widdecombe. Mrs Pratt has given no information about those who called her despite being challenged to do so by Labour; so it seems to me that she has kept her confidentially. Labour of course has a history of this; Dr Kelly died after they gave his name to the press. The way they behaved over Jane Griffiths lost them the seat in 2005. She said "There is a serious problem of bullying within the party in Reading".
The row began on Sunday with a story in the Observer - based on a book by journalist Andrew Rawnsley - alleging that Mr Brown grabbed staff by the lapels, shoved them aside and shouted at them.
Reading Labours bully in chief has hit out at the charity, saying 'In her haste to help the Conservatives, Mrs Pratt not only breached her duty of confidentiality but failed to stand up any of her claims.' So challenging her to reveal more while attacking her for revealing anything. Typical of Martin. As is his name calling; 'the aptly named Christine Pratt' indeed. He gets a bit confused at one point, stating ' the National Bullying Helpline, whose existence must now be in doubt.' They exist as much as the Labour party does, who will remain the longer is a question. Labour nearly went bankrupt in 2008, they became morally bankrupt some years before.
Judging by the language coming from Martin I suspect most of the complaints about this charity are from Labour supporters. In which case I suspect they will thrive, the nation certainly needs them.
The irony there being that many people in Reading have been bullied by Martin, he once threatened me with violence and also with legal action. I stood up to him and his threats proved empty. So I call on all oppressed people to stand up to the bullies; thats how to defeat them.
Energy Bill Fails As Labour MPs Didn't Rebel and LD Didn't Show Up
The bill lost by only a handful of votes. If just 4 Labour MPs had joined their 26 'rebel' colleagues they would have one. Needless to say loyalist MP Martin Salter who pretends to be a rebel voted along with the majority of his party.
Well done to those who voted for the bill, including Reading East Rob Wilson. Unfortunately 39 Tories didn't show up, along with 69 Lab. It's worth noting, as well, that the Lib Dems, who do lots of talking about the environment, saw 13 of their MPs not bothering to vote either...including Nick Clegg, Chris Huhne and Vince Cable. Inspiring. Remind me what they are paid for again?
Had they been victorious, the government would have been defeated and Parliament would have ended the era of dirty coal!
Among the Labour backbenchers who supported the new green measure were Alan Simpson, Jon Cruddas, and Colin Burgon. A few Labour MPs including Dianne Abbott, Fabian Hamilton and Austin Mitchell told climate campaigners they’d vote for the amendment but then either voted against it or abstained. Reacting to the vote, the Executive Director of Greenpeace UK, John Sauven said:
“Yesterday’s vote shows the depth of unease within the Labour party about a bill that hands billions of pounds to energy companies but fails to hold them to account. Ministers caved into lobbyists from big German utilities who claimed that this measure would scare off investment, when the evidence from places like California shows that the opposite is true. Investors want certainty. Without an emissions performance standard new power stations are subject not to a legally binding limit, but to a gentleman’s agreement that leaves an uncertain future for both investors and the UK’s climate targets.”
The bill was for an Emissions Performance Standard to apply to new electricity generation plants.
It meant a restriction on the amount of carbon dioxide that electricity generation plants can emit.
The House divided: Ayes 244, Noes 252.
Well done to those who voted for the bill, including Reading East Rob Wilson. Unfortunately 39 Tories didn't show up, along with 69 Lab. It's worth noting, as well, that the Lib Dems, who do lots of talking about the environment, saw 13 of their MPs not bothering to vote either...including Nick Clegg, Chris Huhne and Vince Cable. Inspiring. Remind me what they are paid for again?
Had they been victorious, the government would have been defeated and Parliament would have ended the era of dirty coal!
Among the Labour backbenchers who supported the new green measure were Alan Simpson, Jon Cruddas, and Colin Burgon. A few Labour MPs including Dianne Abbott, Fabian Hamilton and Austin Mitchell told climate campaigners they’d vote for the amendment but then either voted against it or abstained. Reacting to the vote, the Executive Director of Greenpeace UK, John Sauven said:
“Yesterday’s vote shows the depth of unease within the Labour party about a bill that hands billions of pounds to energy companies but fails to hold them to account. Ministers caved into lobbyists from big German utilities who claimed that this measure would scare off investment, when the evidence from places like California shows that the opposite is true. Investors want certainty. Without an emissions performance standard new power stations are subject not to a legally binding limit, but to a gentleman’s agreement that leaves an uncertain future for both investors and the UK’s climate targets.”
The bill was for an Emissions Performance Standard to apply to new electricity generation plants.
It meant a restriction on the amount of carbon dioxide that electricity generation plants can emit.
The House divided: Ayes 244, Noes 252.
Bully Brown unleashing the “forces of hell”
Bully Brown caught on camera. Its CGI but it looks not a bit like him, it made me laugh anyway.
Not content with hurling around phones and Coke cans, the Prime Minister now stands accused of unleashing the “forces of hell” against his own Chancellor for telling what turned out to be partly the truth about the economy. Woops.
The Guardian thinks his bullying has paralysed the Labour Party.
Not content with hurling around phones and Coke cans, the Prime Minister now stands accused of unleashing the “forces of hell” against his own Chancellor for telling what turned out to be partly the truth about the economy. Woops.
The Guardian thinks his bullying has paralysed the Labour Party.
Thursday, 25 February 2010
Pincents Hill Plan Thrown Out
The Pincents Hill Plan has been thrown out to rapturous applause; it was always controversial to build up to 750 homes on the edge of Reading.
West Berkshire Council's planning committee members followed their officers' recommendation to reject Blue Living's outline application for a minitown on Pincents Hill at Tilehurst, to the delight of an audience of around 200 people packed into the main hall at Little Heath School.
The developer failed to show up, instead sending solicitor Steven Turnbull who incensed councillors and officers by accusing them of being uncooperative and politicising the planning process in a cheap attempt to win votes.
Councillors labelled the developer "arrogant and disgraceful" adding: "Members take exception to the inference that they have not come here with open minds. We do not pre-determine planning applications."
.
Planning officer Clive Inwards recommended the application be rejected for a variety of reasons including its failure to adhere to the council's policy of protecting the strategic gap between Tilehurst, Calcot and Theale.
He concluded: "The application proposes inappropriate and unjustified development on a green-field site outside of the current settlement boundary. Material considerations do not outweigh the general presumption against development in the countryside."
I have blogged about my opposition to this plan here.
Save Calcott website here
Newbury Today
Reading Chronicle
Reading Post
Reading 107 FM
West Berkshire Council's planning committee members followed their officers' recommendation to reject Blue Living's outline application for a minitown on Pincents Hill at Tilehurst, to the delight of an audience of around 200 people packed into the main hall at Little Heath School.
The developer failed to show up, instead sending solicitor Steven Turnbull who incensed councillors and officers by accusing them of being uncooperative and politicising the planning process in a cheap attempt to win votes.
Councillors labelled the developer "arrogant and disgraceful" adding: "Members take exception to the inference that they have not come here with open minds. We do not pre-determine planning applications."
.
Planning officer Clive Inwards recommended the application be rejected for a variety of reasons including its failure to adhere to the council's policy of protecting the strategic gap between Tilehurst, Calcot and Theale.
He concluded: "The application proposes inappropriate and unjustified development on a green-field site outside of the current settlement boundary. Material considerations do not outweigh the general presumption against development in the countryside."
I have blogged about my opposition to this plan here.
Save Calcott website here
Newbury Today
Reading Chronicle
Reading Post
Reading 107 FM
Wednesday, 24 February 2010
Palestinian Farmers Banned From Fairtrade Fortnight
Three Palestinian farmers were invited here to attend Fair Trade fortnight; it should have been a proud and happy occasion. The farmers, from newly certified co-operatives, whose olive oil is the only one in the world to bear the Fairtrade mark, had been invited by the UK social enterprise Zaytoun.
They were due to arrive this week, and would have attended events in England, Scotland and Wales, meeting potential buyers here as well as Non-Governmental Organisations with an interest in fair trade and economic development.
But this welcome development has been thwarted by the British government denying them visas. What makes this denial even more galling, as tour supporters point out, is this report from a year ago:
'Gordon Brown said he was "delighted" by the launch, marking the start of Fairtrade Fortnight, the annual campaign urging people to buy goods with the internationally recognised mark designed to ensure producers from poorer countries get a fair price and long-term security.
Brown said: "Olive oil production provides an essential part of the West Bank economy. In buying this oil, British shoppers wil be helping the farmers of Palestine to make a living.'
Sign a petition to protest the ban. I think dialogue is the way to make progress, banning people solves nothing.
Reading has a variety of events for Fairtrade Fortnight. Thursday sees the Reading Green Party quiz and music night.
They were due to arrive this week, and would have attended events in England, Scotland and Wales, meeting potential buyers here as well as Non-Governmental Organisations with an interest in fair trade and economic development.
But this welcome development has been thwarted by the British government denying them visas. What makes this denial even more galling, as tour supporters point out, is this report from a year ago:
'Gordon Brown said he was "delighted" by the launch, marking the start of Fairtrade Fortnight, the annual campaign urging people to buy goods with the internationally recognised mark designed to ensure producers from poorer countries get a fair price and long-term security.
Brown said: "Olive oil production provides an essential part of the West Bank economy. In buying this oil, British shoppers wil be helping the farmers of Palestine to make a living.'
Sign a petition to protest the ban. I think dialogue is the way to make progress, banning people solves nothing.
Reading has a variety of events for Fairtrade Fortnight. Thursday sees the Reading Green Party quiz and music night.
Save Our Pubs, support CAMRA
Today I have been contacted by 5 members of CAMRA, asking for my support for real ale, real pubs and consumer rights. I am delighted to give that support, the Green Party has for a long time supported these issues.
CAMRA campaign against pub closures, the most recent Beer & Pub Association report highlighting that 39 pubs are closing every week. In Reading the Green Party have lead the repoen the Jolly Anglers campaign.
CAMRA's own research shows that 84% of people believe a pub is as essential to village life as a shop or post office. Despite their popularity pubs are still under threat and need our help.
CAMRA is calling on everyone to join the Save Our Pubs campaign to put a stop to the closure of British pubs.
The Green Party are also against giant supermarkets selling cheap Alcohol, unfortunately the other parties have let them increase while smaller businesses suffer and sometimes close.
In Brighton, we have been campaigning on Licensing & alcohol issues.
CAMRA:
1) Promote the interests of Britain's pub goers
2) Champion well-run community pubs
3) Rebalance alcohol taxation to support beer and pubs
4) Reform the beer tie to deliver a fair deal for consumers
5) Support the role of well-run pubs as solutions to alcohol misuse
Reading CAMRA is their local branch.
CAMRA campaign against pub closures, the most recent Beer & Pub Association report highlighting that 39 pubs are closing every week. In Reading the Green Party have lead the repoen the Jolly Anglers campaign.
CAMRA's own research shows that 84% of people believe a pub is as essential to village life as a shop or post office. Despite their popularity pubs are still under threat and need our help.
CAMRA is calling on everyone to join the Save Our Pubs campaign to put a stop to the closure of British pubs.
The Green Party are also against giant supermarkets selling cheap Alcohol, unfortunately the other parties have let them increase while smaller businesses suffer and sometimes close.
In Brighton, we have been campaigning on Licensing & alcohol issues.
CAMRA:
1) Promote the interests of Britain's pub goers
2) Champion well-run community pubs
3) Rebalance alcohol taxation to support beer and pubs
4) Reform the beer tie to deliver a fair deal for consumers
5) Support the role of well-run pubs as solutions to alcohol misuse
Reading CAMRA is their local branch.
Sunday, 21 February 2010
"A Future Fair For All"
So can Gordon Brown provide "a future fair for all"?
No. The richest 10% of the population are more than 100 times as wealthy as the poorest 10% of society.
He can't seem to say anything that is actually true, even his own supporters no longer trust him.
He was behind Iraq, and has yet to apologise for the many thousands that died there.
He is happy for our troops to continue to die fot no reason and kill innocents in Afghanistan.
Our economy is in a mess, he promised he had got rid of boom and bust, he got rid of the regulations that were protecting us instead.
Then he protected those who caused the mess, leaving the us to pay for a mess he was in part responsible for.
He has let some huge corporations get away with paying minimal tax while small businesses suffer.
We were promised that he would get rid of child poverty by 2020, halving it by 2010, but he failed.
He promised to reduce carbon emissions but failed. Labour's commitment to reduce emissions by 20% by 2010 was in its 1997, 2001 and 2005 manifestos.
He suggests parlimentary reform after trying to protect those who fiddled their expenses.
He offers proportional representation but too late for this parliament.
Fairness would see several Labour people either in prison of removed from politics; but I won't hold my breath waiting for it to happen.
It would see him stand in an election, but if he did, he would loose, so expect him to delay that as long as he can. Many are expecting a poll in May, but he may well go for the latest possible date in an attempt to cling to power as long as he can.
As Adrian Ramsay said at the Green Party Conference: "How can they be trusted to be fair when bankers are still getting bonuses, yet the recession is still putting thousands of other people out of work? The people who gambled with our money, who built the house of credit cards that now has crashed, get bailed out, but everyone else picks up the bill. That doesn't sound like Fair for All. That sounds like a banker's ‘Free For All'."
Fairness is worth fighting for.
No. The richest 10% of the population are more than 100 times as wealthy as the poorest 10% of society.
He can't seem to say anything that is actually true, even his own supporters no longer trust him.
He was behind Iraq, and has yet to apologise for the many thousands that died there.
He is happy for our troops to continue to die fot no reason and kill innocents in Afghanistan.
Our economy is in a mess, he promised he had got rid of boom and bust, he got rid of the regulations that were protecting us instead.
Then he protected those who caused the mess, leaving the us to pay for a mess he was in part responsible for.
He has let some huge corporations get away with paying minimal tax while small businesses suffer.
We were promised that he would get rid of child poverty by 2020, halving it by 2010, but he failed.
He promised to reduce carbon emissions but failed. Labour's commitment to reduce emissions by 20% by 2010 was in its 1997, 2001 and 2005 manifestos.
He suggests parlimentary reform after trying to protect those who fiddled their expenses.
He offers proportional representation but too late for this parliament.
Fairness would see several Labour people either in prison of removed from politics; but I won't hold my breath waiting for it to happen.
It would see him stand in an election, but if he did, he would loose, so expect him to delay that as long as he can. Many are expecting a poll in May, but he may well go for the latest possible date in an attempt to cling to power as long as he can.
As Adrian Ramsay said at the Green Party Conference: "How can they be trusted to be fair when bankers are still getting bonuses, yet the recession is still putting thousands of other people out of work? The people who gambled with our money, who built the house of credit cards that now has crashed, get bailed out, but everyone else picks up the bill. That doesn't sound like Fair for All. That sounds like a banker's ‘Free For All'."
Fairness is worth fighting for.
Saturday, 20 February 2010
Green Party Spring Conference
Green party conference in the Arts Depot in Finchley, London.
As always, its an intense few days, training sessions, panel debates, speeches, fringes and plenary where we voted on policy. A few days on that and you need a break.
Day one (Thursday) was a discrimination workshop, panel debate on low wages with Darren Johnson and London citizens
Day two (Friday) Caroline Lucas Leaders Speech, Plenary vote, 2 hours of election training, Deputy Leader Chairs London Civil Liberties Panel.
Day 3 (Saturday) More training, internal elections hustings, Deputy Leaders Speech Adrian Ramsay, Panel on Equalities with Johann Hari.
Some other conference blogs;
Green Party Conference passes marriage equality motion
Dispatches from the conference
Maximum Wage Matt Sellwood
Richard Lawson
Bright Green Scotland
GREN Hustings Tilehurst Reading West 7.30pm on Thursday, March 11
VOTERS will be firing some burning questions to weigh up politicians' green credentials at a climate change-themed hustings meeting.
Reading West general election hopefuls will step into the limelight when Greater Reading Environmental Network's (GREN) hosts a meeting at Tilehurst Methodist Church in School Road at 7.30pm on Thursday, March 11. The two-hour session, chaired by Bishop of Reading, the Right Rev Stephen Cottrell, will let voters challenge the main parties on renewable energy, sustainability, transport, biodiversity and food production and how they will act over the next five years to avert global catastrophe.
Labour, Conservative and Green Party candidates Naz Sarkar, Alok Sharma and Adrian Windisch will take part but Lib Dem Daisy Benson will be absent. The event follows the success of GREN's Calling Copenhagen debate at Reading International Solidarity Centre (RISC) in November, when 100 people questioned leading scientists and climate change experts.
Naz Sarkar (Lab) said: "The environment is top on many voters' agendas. We need to make sure we act now to commit firmly to tackle climate change with both national and international solutions. I hope the atmosphere is constructive as this is an area where we need a firm consensus."
Alok Sharma (Cons) said: "I welcome the opportunity to take part in the GREN debate and put forward the Conservative case for dealing with issues such as climate change, energy security and sustainability."
Adrian Windisch (Green Party) said: "The main parties make big speeches about the environment but their actions don't match their words so this debate should be interesting. Science tells us that we have seven to eight years to reduce our emissions drastically to avoid climate change."
To submit a question in advance contact 0118 947 5961 or click www.gren.org.uk
Reading West general election hopefuls will step into the limelight when Greater Reading Environmental Network's (GREN) hosts a meeting at Tilehurst Methodist Church in School Road at 7.30pm on Thursday, March 11. The two-hour session, chaired by Bishop of Reading, the Right Rev Stephen Cottrell, will let voters challenge the main parties on renewable energy, sustainability, transport, biodiversity and food production and how they will act over the next five years to avert global catastrophe.
Labour, Conservative and Green Party candidates Naz Sarkar, Alok Sharma and Adrian Windisch will take part but Lib Dem Daisy Benson will be absent. The event follows the success of GREN's Calling Copenhagen debate at Reading International Solidarity Centre (RISC) in November, when 100 people questioned leading scientists and climate change experts.
Naz Sarkar (Lab) said: "The environment is top on many voters' agendas. We need to make sure we act now to commit firmly to tackle climate change with both national and international solutions. I hope the atmosphere is constructive as this is an area where we need a firm consensus."
Alok Sharma (Cons) said: "I welcome the opportunity to take part in the GREN debate and put forward the Conservative case for dealing with issues such as climate change, energy security and sustainability."
Adrian Windisch (Green Party) said: "The main parties make big speeches about the environment but their actions don't match their words so this debate should be interesting. Science tells us that we have seven to eight years to reduce our emissions drastically to avoid climate change."
To submit a question in advance contact 0118 947 5961 or click www.gren.org.uk
Wednesday, 17 February 2010
Bee Blogging Day
Bee Blogging Day covered by Rustcombe Green and
Richard Lawson.
bumblebeeblog and andrewsbeeblog, doesn't mention it
Here is an old one of mine about Bees.
Richard Lawson.
bumblebeeblog and andrewsbeeblog, doesn't mention it
Here is an old one of mine about Bees.
AWE Blockade Coverage
The Reading Chronicle interviewed the Bishop of Reading, the Right Rev Stephen Cottrell, who said: "It costs billions of pounds to build these nuclear weapons. Would it not be better spent on hospitals, schools and trying to build a green economy?" I found this clip of him in 2007.
AWE Reading Post say 10 arrested, then they update as the number went up to 24.
Also covered by Reading107fm, Bristol indymedia, Occupational thoughts and here the morningstar.
The BBC says Of the 26, 19 were held on suspicion of obstructing the public highway. Police said the demonstration was "peaceful". The Tehran Times even carries this storey.
Campaigners travelled from across the country and Europe, including Sweden, Finland, Switzerland and Spain, to join the annual demonstration outside the AWE. Cyclists, environmentalists, faith groups, women’s groups, choirs, medical professionals and politicians were present.
Brian Larkin of TP said: “This is the biggest blockade of Aldermaston in years and comes at a time when even major political parties are questioning the logic of spending up to £97 billion on useless weapons.”
Angie Zelter, also from TP, added: “In May, world governments will meet to review the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, but this programme of modernisation of UK nuclear weapons violates the treaty.
Carlsson Laska from Sweden, who was sat down outside the Main Gate in Reading Road, said: "What they are making here threatens the whole world so it is important for other people, and not just those living in this country, to make a stand."
The NIS has some videoed interviews, including one from the police chief and another of me!
I spent most of the day at the 'Faith Gate' with various religious peace campaigners including Christian, QuakersBuddhists, and many more. Other Gates had Welsh, Scottish, Students, Zombies and an international contingent.
Pics here
And other news, John Redwood MP along with bloggers of the other bog parties doesnt mention this. Instead we hear about how his'website is being considered for a list of the top green blogs – results of the Konector review on Thursday!' John recently swapped his Jaguar for a freelander, thinking it would do well in the snow. He likes the 'knobs and buttons'. 'The Land Rover is classless, well suited to the gritty reality of 2010.' Apparently it does 27.3mpg.
AWE Reading Post say 10 arrested, then they update as the number went up to 24.
Also covered by Reading107fm, Bristol indymedia, Occupational thoughts and here the morningstar.
The BBC says Of the 26, 19 were held on suspicion of obstructing the public highway. Police said the demonstration was "peaceful". The Tehran Times even carries this storey.
Campaigners travelled from across the country and Europe, including Sweden, Finland, Switzerland and Spain, to join the annual demonstration outside the AWE. Cyclists, environmentalists, faith groups, women’s groups, choirs, medical professionals and politicians were present.
Brian Larkin of TP said: “This is the biggest blockade of Aldermaston in years and comes at a time when even major political parties are questioning the logic of spending up to £97 billion on useless weapons.”
Angie Zelter, also from TP, added: “In May, world governments will meet to review the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, but this programme of modernisation of UK nuclear weapons violates the treaty.
Carlsson Laska from Sweden, who was sat down outside the Main Gate in Reading Road, said: "What they are making here threatens the whole world so it is important for other people, and not just those living in this country, to make a stand."
The NIS has some videoed interviews, including one from the police chief and another of me!
I spent most of the day at the 'Faith Gate' with various religious peace campaigners including Christian, QuakersBuddhists, and many more. Other Gates had Welsh, Scottish, Students, Zombies and an international contingent.
Pics here
And other news, John Redwood MP along with bloggers of the other bog parties doesnt mention this. Instead we hear about how his'website is being considered for a list of the top green blogs – results of the Konector review on Thursday!' John recently swapped his Jaguar for a freelander, thinking it would do well in the snow. He likes the 'knobs and buttons'. 'The Land Rover is classless, well suited to the gritty reality of 2010.' Apparently it does 27.3mpg.
Monday, 15 February 2010
Adrian Windisch at AWE Blockade 15 February 2010
After pushing the demonstrators, the police suddenly all left, they went to another gate. The rinkydink (cycle powered sound sytem towed by a cycle) came and entertained us. Earlier we had the drummer from sieze the day. I've been talking to blockaders from all over the country, some have even come from other countries.
A few came all the way from Spain.
I did an interview with the local paper, and another with NIS.
Its been a peaceful day, very cold though. Saw lots of old friends, made some new ones.
The Oxford Green Party were here in force.
Reuters Around 400 demonstrators gathered just before 7 a.m. at entrances to the Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE) in Aldermaston in a bid to stop work on the site.
Demonstrators sat down and some glued themselves together as part of a protest against the Trident submarine-based nuclear weapons programme, and to call for an end to plans to replace the system.
The government said last year it would delay a decision on replacing Trident until later this year.
Among those attending the demonstration were Catholic and Anglican bishops and Nobel Peace laureates Mairead Maguire and Jody Williams, said the demo's organiser Trident Ploughshares.
"At a time of economic crisis it is scandalous that billions of pounds are being squandered on new facilities at Aldermaston," said Kate Hudson, chairman of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament which backed the protest.
Thames Valley Police said 26 people had been arrested, most for obstructing the highway. They were all released that evening.
"The vast majority of protestors were peaceful and we would like to express our thanks to them for their cooperation and consideration throughout the day," said Chief Inspector Judith Johnson.
AWE, which provides and maintains the Trident warheads, claimed that the site had operated as normal despite the evidence.
blockawe blog
cnd flickr pics
Sunday, 14 February 2010
Tobacco Workers Hunger Strike In Turkey
The Turkish TUC has called a national day of action in support of the ongoing Tekel workers’ action in the capital, Ankara. The dispute began in mid December when the government announced the closure of 12 factories and their sale to British American Tobacco.
By their 38th day of demonstrations in Ankara, four Tekel workers were taken to a hospital as a result of a hunger strike.
The factories were part of the state owned Tekel tobacco and alcohol monopoly and the workers were told that they would be redeployed on temporary contracts to other parts of the public sector with reduced employment rights and pay cuts of up to 40 percent.
Up to 12,000 Tekel workers in the Tek-Gida Is union rushed to the capital, Ankara, from across the country and occupied a central park.
Riot police viciously attacked the protest, but the workers refused to give in. They relocated to the headquarters of Turk-Is, the Turkish TUC. Some set up outside the offices of the governing party. Several went on hunger strike.
Their continued protest was an inspiration to many activists in Turkey as recent labour movement protests have been driven off the streets after attacks by riot police or fascist gangs.
Worried by growing support for the workers the prime minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, has said he will find a formula to resolve the dispute. The workers are demanding to be redeployed in secure jobs at similar rates of pay.
The situation of Tekel workers' resistance in Turkey is very worrying. The alcohol and tobacco factories were sold to BAT and 12 factories will be closed down at the end of the month, they want to maintain their rights with respect to salary and other benefits) they will go on a death fast.
One of the workers; YaÅŸar said that he has got five children, the oldest one is about to finish university and the youngest one is in fifth grade. His wife is a house wife. "May god not put anybody into the same situation", he says. "You take care of your children's education. And you are living on rent. Who can get by with TL 750 for ten months? Maybe you can do the calculation".
YaÅŸar also said, "If I would retire under the 4c regulation, I would have a pension of TL 900 (€ 410). If I died right now without working any further, my child would benefit from a monthly allowance of TL 1,500 (€ 680)".
The government later proposed some improvements on the content of Article 4/C of Law No. 657, which regulates the working conditions of public employees, insisting on the transfer of Tekel workers to other public institutions under the article.
The main dispute between Tekel workers and the government stems from the nature of Article 4/C, which gives affected workers the status of public employee but with lower wages and fewer employee rights.
Tekel workers, however, want to be considered "public workers,” the status they had before Tekel’s privatization, which they say accorded them far better rights and benefits.
The country’s former state-owned alcohol and tobacco monopoly, or Tekel, workers, including many women, started a hunger strike in front of the Confederation of Turkish Labor Unions, or Türk-Ä°ÅŸ, headquarters in Ankara, saying that they would stage a “death fast” if their demands were not met.
(acknowledgements to Miriam Kennet)
By their 38th day of demonstrations in Ankara, four Tekel workers were taken to a hospital as a result of a hunger strike.
The factories were part of the state owned Tekel tobacco and alcohol monopoly and the workers were told that they would be redeployed on temporary contracts to other parts of the public sector with reduced employment rights and pay cuts of up to 40 percent.
Up to 12,000 Tekel workers in the Tek-Gida Is union rushed to the capital, Ankara, from across the country and occupied a central park.
Riot police viciously attacked the protest, but the workers refused to give in. They relocated to the headquarters of Turk-Is, the Turkish TUC. Some set up outside the offices of the governing party. Several went on hunger strike.
Their continued protest was an inspiration to many activists in Turkey as recent labour movement protests have been driven off the streets after attacks by riot police or fascist gangs.
Worried by growing support for the workers the prime minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, has said he will find a formula to resolve the dispute. The workers are demanding to be redeployed in secure jobs at similar rates of pay.
The situation of Tekel workers' resistance in Turkey is very worrying. The alcohol and tobacco factories were sold to BAT and 12 factories will be closed down at the end of the month, they want to maintain their rights with respect to salary and other benefits) they will go on a death fast.
One of the workers; YaÅŸar said that he has got five children, the oldest one is about to finish university and the youngest one is in fifth grade. His wife is a house wife. "May god not put anybody into the same situation", he says. "You take care of your children's education. And you are living on rent. Who can get by with TL 750 for ten months? Maybe you can do the calculation".
YaÅŸar also said, "If I would retire under the 4c regulation, I would have a pension of TL 900 (€ 410). If I died right now without working any further, my child would benefit from a monthly allowance of TL 1,500 (€ 680)".
The government later proposed some improvements on the content of Article 4/C of Law No. 657, which regulates the working conditions of public employees, insisting on the transfer of Tekel workers to other public institutions under the article.
The main dispute between Tekel workers and the government stems from the nature of Article 4/C, which gives affected workers the status of public employee but with lower wages and fewer employee rights.
Tekel workers, however, want to be considered "public workers,” the status they had before Tekel’s privatization, which they say accorded them far better rights and benefits.
The country’s former state-owned alcohol and tobacco monopoly, or Tekel, workers, including many women, started a hunger strike in front of the Confederation of Turkish Labor Unions, or Türk-Ä°ÅŸ, headquarters in Ankara, saying that they would stage a “death fast” if their demands were not met.
(acknowledgements to Miriam Kennet)
Friday, 12 February 2010
Lib Dem Health Spokeswoman Jenny Tonge Sacked
The Liberal Democrat leader 'Nick Legg' (spelling from the bbc website, not my typo) has sacked his health spokeswoman in the House of Lords after comments she made about alleged organ trafficking in Haiti.
Jenny Tonge said that there should be an 'inquiry into claims that Israeli troops sent there after the earthquake were trafficking organs'. Her remarks followed an article making the accusations in the online journal Palestine Telegraph, of which Baroness Tonge is a patron.
Nick Clegg said the comments were "wrong, distasteful and provocative" and dismissed her from her post. The sanction fell short of removing the whip from Baroness Tonge because the Liberal Democrat leader did not believe her remarks were antisemitic. Mr Clegg has always said that Jenny Tonge would not be a member of the Liberal Democrat if he believed she was racist.
She has a bit of a history
- Last year she called Hamas leader Khaled Mashal “shrewd, plausible and actually very likeable” during her Syrian visit.
- 3 years ago she said: “The pro-Israeli lobby has got its grips on the Western world, its financial grips. I think they have probably got a certain grip on our party.”
- 5 years ago when still an MP Liberal Democrat leader Charles Kennedy told her to quit his front bench following her remarks about Palestinian suicide bombers. She insisted she did not condone suicide bombers despite saying she would consider becoming one if she were Palestinian.
George Monbiot said in 2006 'I think I have discovered the clinching argument for closing the House of Lords. It is the presence in that chamber of a peer called Lady Tonge of Kew.' She had just made some remarks on supporting the Botswana government on evicting people from central Kalahari game reserve in order to exploit them for mining.
Its a shame she seems to be so obsessed. I saw her speak in Reading a few years ago about the Iraq war and she was very good on then, but that was about 5 years ago.
Jenny Tonge said that there should be an 'inquiry into claims that Israeli troops sent there after the earthquake were trafficking organs'. Her remarks followed an article making the accusations in the online journal Palestine Telegraph, of which Baroness Tonge is a patron.
Nick Clegg said the comments were "wrong, distasteful and provocative" and dismissed her from her post. The sanction fell short of removing the whip from Baroness Tonge because the Liberal Democrat leader did not believe her remarks were antisemitic. Mr Clegg has always said that Jenny Tonge would not be a member of the Liberal Democrat if he believed she was racist.
She has a bit of a history
- Last year she called Hamas leader Khaled Mashal “shrewd, plausible and actually very likeable” during her Syrian visit.
- 3 years ago she said: “The pro-Israeli lobby has got its grips on the Western world, its financial grips. I think they have probably got a certain grip on our party.”
- 5 years ago when still an MP Liberal Democrat leader Charles Kennedy told her to quit his front bench following her remarks about Palestinian suicide bombers. She insisted she did not condone suicide bombers despite saying she would consider becoming one if she were Palestinian.
George Monbiot said in 2006 'I think I have discovered the clinching argument for closing the House of Lords. It is the presence in that chamber of a peer called Lady Tonge of Kew.' She had just made some remarks on supporting the Botswana government on evicting people from central Kalahari game reserve in order to exploit them for mining.
Its a shame she seems to be so obsessed. I saw her speak in Reading a few years ago about the Iraq war and she was very good on then, but that was about 5 years ago.
Keep Cruelty History
I just signed up with Keep Cruelty History. If elected to Parliament I would not vote to repeal the hunting act, I am against hunting for sport.
I talk in more detail about it here; I think Lab use this issue to energise supporters while they ignore species loss and farmed animal cruelty etc.
You can use the website to find if your Parliamentary Candidates have signed up to it yet, just put in your address.
I am the first to sign in Reading West. Oddly they still think Patrick Murray is the Lib Dem PPC, Martin Salter is Lab PPC and don't mention the Tory Alok Sharma, though he has been a candidate for years. In a spirit of fairness I emailed the other candidates and informed the keep cruelty history campaign.
The Keep Cruelty History Campaign is run by the League Against Cruel Sports (UK) Ltd to highlight the fact some politicians want to bring back hunting with dogs.
They publish a survey that says:
76% think hunting with dogs is cruel.
59% saying they would be less likely to vote for a candidate who backed repeal
Almost three quarters of people in rural areas donʼt want to see fox hunting legal again.
I talk in more detail about it here; I think Lab use this issue to energise supporters while they ignore species loss and farmed animal cruelty etc.
You can use the website to find if your Parliamentary Candidates have signed up to it yet, just put in your address.
I am the first to sign in Reading West. Oddly they still think Patrick Murray is the Lib Dem PPC, Martin Salter is Lab PPC and don't mention the Tory Alok Sharma, though he has been a candidate for years. In a spirit of fairness I emailed the other candidates and informed the keep cruelty history campaign.
The Keep Cruelty History Campaign is run by the League Against Cruel Sports (UK) Ltd to highlight the fact some politicians want to bring back hunting with dogs.
They publish a survey that says:
76% think hunting with dogs is cruel.
59% saying they would be less likely to vote for a candidate who backed repeal
Almost three quarters of people in rural areas donʼt want to see fox hunting legal again.
Thursday, 11 February 2010
Pegasus Gets The Nod
Despite receiving over 1400 letters of objection, West Berkshire Council has decided to grant planning permission to the Atomic Weapons Establishment for a new Enriched Uranium Facility.
Aldermaston AWE tonight got the decision it wanted at West Berkshire Council meeting tonight at the Eastern Area Planning Committee meeting at the Calcot Centre, Reading. They gave Project Pegasus the go ahead; it is designed for storage and handling of enriched uranium close to the centre of AWEs Aldermaston.
Aldermaston is currently the scene of what its owners describe as the largest building programme in Britain, equivalent to the construction of Heathrow's Terminal Five. But although the taxpayer is funding this massive project, we have no clear idea of exactly what they are doing there, or how dangerous it is for the nearby towns and villages.
A couple of years ago they passed Orion (£100 to £180million). It has a Laser that can to concentrate energy similar to the conditions at the centre of the sun on a target the diameter of a human hair.
Also Gemini, two hi-tech office blocks that will house up to 1,400 AWE staff (£100million).
Project Pegasus will cost an estimated £500 million to build.
From the names they are choosing; I expect the will soon dispatch war rocket Ajax.
The Tory Cllrs on the planning committee hardly questioned Project Pegasus, they proposed, seconded and all voted for it. Most of the Lib Dem Cllrs also voted for it. One of them voted against, so it passed 8 to 1. Cllr Alan Macro was the LD who voted against, respect to him for going against the rest of them. He questioned why as they were replacing an older building they didn't move it further from residents, which got a cheer. Its not much, but it was a ray of hope compared to the rest of the evening.
Lib Dems are against Trident replacement, but not against nuclear weapons. So its a bit confusing to know where they stand on AWE.
At a time of recession, where government departments are strugling to find money, when the big parties are competing to see who can cut spending, why are we throwing money at AWE?
And it is unpopular with locals; Nuclear Information Service NIS have conducted a survey.
• 61% of local people are opposed to AWE's Project Pegasus (£500 million).
• Over 70% of those asked had not heard about the project before being approached to
complete the survey.
• Over 60% of those who were surveyed believed that the facility should not be built.
• Over 90% of respondents felt that information about environmental and safety impacts
should be made publicly available before permission to build is given .
NIS Director Peter Burt said: "It's disappointing but not surprising that this development was permitted given the very close relationship between West Berkshire Council and AWE.
Concerns about consultation standards were raised in many of the objections to the planning application, and also by neighbouring Basingstoke and Deane and Reading Borough Councils.
"West Berkshire Council likes to pretend that planning applications submitted by AWE are treaed the same as those submitted by anyone else, but no-one else would be allowed to submit a planning application for a factory handling radioactive substances and hazardous chemicals without giving a copper-bottomed explanation of how they intend to manage the risks and guarantee safety."
Update:
getreading
Reading Chronicle
'West Berkshire Council received almost 1,500 letters of objection as well as opposition from Reading, Basingstoke and Deane and Slough borough councils. A lack of information and consultation were some of the main concerns.'
Newbury Today
Aldermaston AWE tonight got the decision it wanted at West Berkshire Council meeting tonight at the Eastern Area Planning Committee meeting at the Calcot Centre, Reading. They gave Project Pegasus the go ahead; it is designed for storage and handling of enriched uranium close to the centre of AWEs Aldermaston.
Aldermaston is currently the scene of what its owners describe as the largest building programme in Britain, equivalent to the construction of Heathrow's Terminal Five. But although the taxpayer is funding this massive project, we have no clear idea of exactly what they are doing there, or how dangerous it is for the nearby towns and villages.
A couple of years ago they passed Orion (£100 to £180million). It has a Laser that can to concentrate energy similar to the conditions at the centre of the sun on a target the diameter of a human hair.
Also Gemini, two hi-tech office blocks that will house up to 1,400 AWE staff (£100million).
Project Pegasus will cost an estimated £500 million to build.
From the names they are choosing; I expect the will soon dispatch war rocket Ajax.
The Tory Cllrs on the planning committee hardly questioned Project Pegasus, they proposed, seconded and all voted for it. Most of the Lib Dem Cllrs also voted for it. One of them voted against, so it passed 8 to 1. Cllr Alan Macro was the LD who voted against, respect to him for going against the rest of them. He questioned why as they were replacing an older building they didn't move it further from residents, which got a cheer. Its not much, but it was a ray of hope compared to the rest of the evening.
Lib Dems are against Trident replacement, but not against nuclear weapons. So its a bit confusing to know where they stand on AWE.
At a time of recession, where government departments are strugling to find money, when the big parties are competing to see who can cut spending, why are we throwing money at AWE?
And it is unpopular with locals; Nuclear Information Service NIS have conducted a survey.
• 61% of local people are opposed to AWE's Project Pegasus (£500 million).
• Over 70% of those asked had not heard about the project before being approached to
complete the survey.
• Over 60% of those who were surveyed believed that the facility should not be built.
• Over 90% of respondents felt that information about environmental and safety impacts
should be made publicly available before permission to build is given .
NIS Director Peter Burt said: "It's disappointing but not surprising that this development was permitted given the very close relationship between West Berkshire Council and AWE.
Concerns about consultation standards were raised in many of the objections to the planning application, and also by neighbouring Basingstoke and Deane and Reading Borough Councils.
"West Berkshire Council likes to pretend that planning applications submitted by AWE are treaed the same as those submitted by anyone else, but no-one else would be allowed to submit a planning application for a factory handling radioactive substances and hazardous chemicals without giving a copper-bottomed explanation of how they intend to manage the risks and guarantee safety."
Update:
getreading
Reading Chronicle
'West Berkshire Council received almost 1,500 letters of objection as well as opposition from Reading, Basingstoke and Deane and Slough borough councils. A lack of information and consultation were some of the main concerns.'
Newbury Today
Wednesday, 10 February 2010
GUILTY! Japan's justice system "breached human rights of Greenpeace anti-whaling activists"
The United Nations Human Rights Council confirmed that the human rights of Greenpeace activists Junichi Sato and Toru Suzuki have been violated by the Japanese justice system.
The UN group says that: "Sato and Suzuki acted considering that their actions were in the greater public interest as they sought to expose criminal embezzlement within the taxpayer-funded whaling industry." Junichi Sato and Toru Suzuki, who you might know as the "Tokyo Two," were detained by Japanese authorities after exposing major corruption in the Japanese whaling industry in June 2008. Each of them were held for 23 days without charges; often tied to chairs while they were interrogated, without a lawyer present.
Junichi and Toru exposed the whale-meat embezzlement scandal on May 15, 2008, when they presented a box of whale meat stolen by the crew of Japan's "scientific whaling" fleet to Tokyo’s public prosecutor. The activists then submitted a dossier to the prosecutor that explained how the box was intercepted during their four month long investigation. After they exposed the scandal, in which prime cuts of whale meat are smuggled off ships by crew members and sold outside official channels -- for personal profit, the activists were arrested for theft and trespassing.
Now the United Nations has called on Japanese authorities to recognize that these two environmental activists engaged in a meaningful political act, not a crime, in exposing the whaling scandal. The "Tokyo Two" are set to stand trial on February 15, 2010. Take Action! Tell the Japanese Embassy that you stand beside the Tokyo Two as co-defendants.
For the whales and all there defenders, Jean Greenpeace USA Support your cause! Be counted:
Tuesday, 9 February 2010
The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind
This is thee extraordinary true story of a Malawian teenager who transformed his village by building electric windmills out of junk is the subject of a new book, 'The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind'.
Self-taught William Kamkwamba against-all-odds achievements are all the more remarkable considering he was forced to quit school aged 14 because his family could no longer afford the £50-a-year fees. But this was not another tale of African potential thwarted by poverty.
Defence against hunger The teenager had a dream of bringing electricity and running water to his village.
In 2002 was one of Malawi's worst droughts, which killed thousands of people and left his family on the brink of starvation. Unable to attend school, he kept up his education by using a local library. Fascinated by science, his life changed one day when he picked up a tattered textbook and saw a picture of a windmill.
Mr Kamkwamba told the BBC News website: "I was very interested when I saw the windmill could make electricity and pump water. "I thought: 'That could be a defence against hunger. Maybe I should build one for myself'."
When not helping his family farm maize, he plugged away at his prototype, working by the light of a paraffin lamp in the evenings. But his ingenious project met blank looks in his community of about 200 people. "Many, including my mother, thought I was going crazy," he recalls. "They had never seen a windmill before."
Neighbours were further perplexed at the youngster spending so much time scouring rubbish tips.
"William Kamkwamba's achievements with wind energy show what one person, with an inspired idea,
can do to tackle the crisis we face" said Al Gore
Mr Kamkwamba, who is now 22 years old, knocked together a turbine from spare bicycle parts, a tractor fan blade and an old shock absorber, and fashioned blades from plastic pipes, flattened by being held over a fire. "I got a few electric shocks climbing that [windmill]," says Mr Kamkwamba, ruefully recalling his months of painstaking work.
The finished product - a 5-m (16-ft) tall blue-gum-tree wood tower, swaying in the breeze over Masitala - seemed little more than a quixotic tinkerer's folly. But his neighbours' mirth turned to amazement when Mr Kamkwamba scrambled up the windmill and hooked a car light bulb to the turbine. As the blades began to spin in the breeze, the bulb flickered to life and a crowd of astonished onlookers went wild. Soon the whiz kid's 12-watt wonder was pumping power into his family's mud brick compound.
Out went the paraffin lanterns and in came light bulbs and a circuit breaker, made from nails and magnets off an old stereo speaker, and a light switch cobbled together from bicycle spokes and flip-flop rubber. Before long, locals were queuing up to charge their mobile phones.
WINDS OF CHANGE
2002: Drought strikes; he leaves school; builds 5m windmill
2006: Daily Times writes article on him; he builds a 12m windmill
2007: Brings solar power to his village and installs solar pump
Mid-2008: Builds Green Machine windmill, pumping well water
Sep 2008: Attends inaugural African Leadership Academy class
Mid-2009: Builds replica of original 5m windmill
He upgraded his original windmill to 48-volts and anchored it in concrete after its wooden base was chewed away by termites. Then he built a new windmill, dubbed the Green Machine, which turned a water pump to irrigate his family's field. Before long, visitors were traipsing from miles around to gawp at the boy prodigy's magetsi a mphepo - "electric wind".
As the fame of his renewable energy projects grew, he was invited in mid-2007 to the prestigious Technology Entertainment Design conference in Arusha, Tanzania.
He has since gone around the world tlking about this, including appearing on the Daily Show with John Stewart. This is a clip from youtube
Self-taught William Kamkwamba against-all-odds achievements are all the more remarkable considering he was forced to quit school aged 14 because his family could no longer afford the £50-a-year fees. But this was not another tale of African potential thwarted by poverty.
Defence against hunger The teenager had a dream of bringing electricity and running water to his village.
In 2002 was one of Malawi's worst droughts, which killed thousands of people and left his family on the brink of starvation. Unable to attend school, he kept up his education by using a local library. Fascinated by science, his life changed one day when he picked up a tattered textbook and saw a picture of a windmill.
Mr Kamkwamba told the BBC News website: "I was very interested when I saw the windmill could make electricity and pump water. "I thought: 'That could be a defence against hunger. Maybe I should build one for myself'."
When not helping his family farm maize, he plugged away at his prototype, working by the light of a paraffin lamp in the evenings. But his ingenious project met blank looks in his community of about 200 people. "Many, including my mother, thought I was going crazy," he recalls. "They had never seen a windmill before."
Neighbours were further perplexed at the youngster spending so much time scouring rubbish tips.
"William Kamkwamba's achievements with wind energy show what one person, with an inspired idea,
can do to tackle the crisis we face" said Al Gore
Mr Kamkwamba, who is now 22 years old, knocked together a turbine from spare bicycle parts, a tractor fan blade and an old shock absorber, and fashioned blades from plastic pipes, flattened by being held over a fire. "I got a few electric shocks climbing that [windmill]," says Mr Kamkwamba, ruefully recalling his months of painstaking work.
The finished product - a 5-m (16-ft) tall blue-gum-tree wood tower, swaying in the breeze over Masitala - seemed little more than a quixotic tinkerer's folly. But his neighbours' mirth turned to amazement when Mr Kamkwamba scrambled up the windmill and hooked a car light bulb to the turbine. As the blades began to spin in the breeze, the bulb flickered to life and a crowd of astonished onlookers went wild. Soon the whiz kid's 12-watt wonder was pumping power into his family's mud brick compound.
Out went the paraffin lanterns and in came light bulbs and a circuit breaker, made from nails and magnets off an old stereo speaker, and a light switch cobbled together from bicycle spokes and flip-flop rubber. Before long, locals were queuing up to charge their mobile phones.
WINDS OF CHANGE
2002: Drought strikes; he leaves school; builds 5m windmill
2006: Daily Times writes article on him; he builds a 12m windmill
2007: Brings solar power to his village and installs solar pump
Mid-2008: Builds Green Machine windmill, pumping well water
Sep 2008: Attends inaugural African Leadership Academy class
Mid-2009: Builds replica of original 5m windmill
He upgraded his original windmill to 48-volts and anchored it in concrete after its wooden base was chewed away by termites. Then he built a new windmill, dubbed the Green Machine, which turned a water pump to irrigate his family's field. Before long, visitors were traipsing from miles around to gawp at the boy prodigy's magetsi a mphepo - "electric wind".
As the fame of his renewable energy projects grew, he was invited in mid-2007 to the prestigious Technology Entertainment Design conference in Arusha, Tanzania.
He has since gone around the world tlking about this, including appearing on the Daily Show with John Stewart. This is a clip from youtube
Monday, 8 February 2010
Oil Money Used To Fund Climate Deniers
An orchestrated campaign is being waged against climate change science to undermine public acceptance of man-made global warming it was claimed.
The attack against scientists supportive of the idea of climate change has grown in ferocity and become more personal since the leak of thousands of documents on the subject from the University of East Anglia (UEA) on the eve of the Copenhagen climate summit last December.
Anti-climate change think-tanks such as the Atlas Economic Research Foundation in the US and the International Policy Network in the UK have received grants totalling hundreds of thousands of pounds from the multinational energy company ExxonMobil. Both organisations have funded international seminars pulling together climate change deniers from across the globe.
Critics have broadcast material from the leaked UEA emails to undermine climate change predictions and to highlight errors in claims that the Himalayan glaciers could disappear by 2035.
Climate deniers broadcast stories last week casting doubts on scientific data predicting dramatic loss of the Amazon rainforest. All three stories, picked up by mainstream media, questioned the credibility of the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and the way it does its work.
The controversies have shaken the IPCC, whose chairman, Dr Rajendra Pachauri, was subjected to a series of personal attacks on his reputation and lifestyle last week. A poll this weekend confirmed that public confidence in the climate change consensus has been shaken: one in four Britons – 25 per cent – now say they do not believe in global warming; previously this figure stood at 15 per cent.
Professor Bob Watson, the chief scientific adviser of Defra and former chairman of the IPCC, said yesterday that the backlash is the result of a campaign: "It does appear that there's a concerted effort by a number of sceptics to undermine the credibility of the evidence behind human-induced climate change."
A complicated web of relationships revolves around a number of right-wing think-tanks around the world that dispute the threats of climate change. ExxonMobil is a key player behind the scenes, having donated hundreds of thousands of dollars in the past few years to climate change sceptics. The Atlas Foundation, created by the late Sir Anthony Fisher (founder of the Institute of Economic Affairs), received more than $100,000 in 2008 from ExxonMobil.
Atlas co-sponsored a meeting of the world's leading climate sceptics in New York last March. Called "Global Warming: Was It Ever Really a Crisis?", it was organised by the Heartland Institute – a group that described the event as "the world's largest-ever gathering of global warming sceptics". The organisation is another right-wing think-tank to have benefited from funding given by ExxonMobil in recent years.
A large British contingent was present at the event, with speakers including Dr Benny Peiser, from Lord Lawson's climate sceptic think-tank, the Global Warming Policy Foundation (GWPF); the botanist David Bellamy; Julian Morris and Kendra Okonski from the London-based International Policy Network; the weather forecaster Piers Corbyn; Christopher Monckton, a former policy adviser to Margaret Thatcher; and Professor David Henderson, a member of GWPF's advisory council.
Bob Ward from the London School of Economics, said: "A lot of the climate sceptic arguments are being made by people with demonstrable right-wing ideology which is based on opposition to any environmental regulation of the market, and they are clearly being given money that allows them to disseminate their views more widely than would be the case if they didn't have oil company funding."
I have been looking at James Delingpole at the Telegraph, his denialist views seem comic but some are taking him seriously. He says he 'is right about everything' and refers to those who think climate change is serious as 'warmists'. He talks about 'Al Gore’s AGW gravy train' as though climate scientists are a highly paid conspiracy. He thinks wind turbines destroy the landscape!
His attacks on IPCC Chair Pachauri get more personal.
The attack against scientists supportive of the idea of climate change has grown in ferocity and become more personal since the leak of thousands of documents on the subject from the University of East Anglia (UEA) on the eve of the Copenhagen climate summit last December.
Anti-climate change think-tanks such as the Atlas Economic Research Foundation in the US and the International Policy Network in the UK have received grants totalling hundreds of thousands of pounds from the multinational energy company ExxonMobil. Both organisations have funded international seminars pulling together climate change deniers from across the globe.
Critics have broadcast material from the leaked UEA emails to undermine climate change predictions and to highlight errors in claims that the Himalayan glaciers could disappear by 2035.
Climate deniers broadcast stories last week casting doubts on scientific data predicting dramatic loss of the Amazon rainforest. All three stories, picked up by mainstream media, questioned the credibility of the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and the way it does its work.
The controversies have shaken the IPCC, whose chairman, Dr Rajendra Pachauri, was subjected to a series of personal attacks on his reputation and lifestyle last week. A poll this weekend confirmed that public confidence in the climate change consensus has been shaken: one in four Britons – 25 per cent – now say they do not believe in global warming; previously this figure stood at 15 per cent.
Professor Bob Watson, the chief scientific adviser of Defra and former chairman of the IPCC, said yesterday that the backlash is the result of a campaign: "It does appear that there's a concerted effort by a number of sceptics to undermine the credibility of the evidence behind human-induced climate change."
A complicated web of relationships revolves around a number of right-wing think-tanks around the world that dispute the threats of climate change. ExxonMobil is a key player behind the scenes, having donated hundreds of thousands of dollars in the past few years to climate change sceptics. The Atlas Foundation, created by the late Sir Anthony Fisher (founder of the Institute of Economic Affairs), received more than $100,000 in 2008 from ExxonMobil.
Atlas co-sponsored a meeting of the world's leading climate sceptics in New York last March. Called "Global Warming: Was It Ever Really a Crisis?", it was organised by the Heartland Institute – a group that described the event as "the world's largest-ever gathering of global warming sceptics". The organisation is another right-wing think-tank to have benefited from funding given by ExxonMobil in recent years.
A large British contingent was present at the event, with speakers including Dr Benny Peiser, from Lord Lawson's climate sceptic think-tank, the Global Warming Policy Foundation (GWPF); the botanist David Bellamy; Julian Morris and Kendra Okonski from the London-based International Policy Network; the weather forecaster Piers Corbyn; Christopher Monckton, a former policy adviser to Margaret Thatcher; and Professor David Henderson, a member of GWPF's advisory council.
Bob Ward from the London School of Economics, said: "A lot of the climate sceptic arguments are being made by people with demonstrable right-wing ideology which is based on opposition to any environmental regulation of the market, and they are clearly being given money that allows them to disseminate their views more widely than would be the case if they didn't have oil company funding."
I have been looking at James Delingpole at the Telegraph, his denialist views seem comic but some are taking him seriously. He says he 'is right about everything' and refers to those who think climate change is serious as 'warmists'. He talks about 'Al Gore’s AGW gravy train' as though climate scientists are a highly paid conspiracy. He thinks wind turbines destroy the landscape!
His attacks on IPCC Chair Pachauri get more personal.
Sunday, 7 February 2010
"Lib policy would 'boost' emissions",
The headline "Lib policy would 'boost' emissions" grabbs attention, but its not about the UK. Its about an election battle in Australia that is featuring climate change as an important issue.
The current Prime Minister of Australia is Kevin Rudd (centre-left Australia Labor Party (ALP)). In opposition, Rudd called climate change "the greatest moral, economic and social challenge of our time" and called for a cut to greenhouse gas emissions by 60% before 2050. On 3 December 2007, as his first official act after being sworn in, Rudd signed the Kyoto Protocol. On 15 December 2008, Rudd released a White Paper on reducing Australia's greenhouse gas emissions. The White Paper includes a plan to introduce an emissions trading scheme in 2010 that is known as the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme and gave a target range for Australia's greenhouse gas emissions in 2020 of between 5% and 15% less than 2000 levels. Last year Rudd announced that the Government will delay implementing an emissions trading scheme until 2011. This all sounds horribly familiar.
In opposition is Tony Abbott, federal leader of the centre-right Liberal Party of Australia.
At an October 2009 meeting in the Victorian town of Beaufort, Abbott told the audience that the concept of climate change was "absolute crap". When questioned about that statement, he said he had used "a bit of hyperbole" at that meeting rather than it being his "considered position". After his election as Liberal leader, Mr Abbott promised to have a strong and effective climate change policy - but not one that would damage Australian export industries, putting the country at a competitive disadvantage with its competitors.''It's quite likely that increased carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has some effect on climate, but debate rages among scientists over its extent and relative impact, given all the other factors at work.''
The Liberal Party is usually in a coalition with the smaller National Party.
The Australian Greens won 8 per cent of the 2007 vote. Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown says that, after the Copenhagen collapse, next year's federal election will be a referendum on global warming.
"The 2010 poll is shaping up as a vote for or against Australia taking a lead in fixing global warming below 1.5 degrees. That means a 2020 target of reducing the nation's greenhouse gas emissions by 40 percent over 1990 levels and, in doing so, taking action for the rest of this threatened world to follow," Senator Brown said. "Kevin Rudd's target range of 5-25 percent needs lifting to responsibly meet the need. Tony Abbott's got no effective target - so he is taxing everyone's patience. Where is his plan to tackle the polluters?"
Australia's emissions would increase by 13 per cent by 2020 - not fall by the promised 5 per cent - under Tony Abbott's Emissions Reduction Fund, say Rudds government.
The current Prime Minister of Australia is Kevin Rudd (centre-left Australia Labor Party (ALP)). In opposition, Rudd called climate change "the greatest moral, economic and social challenge of our time" and called for a cut to greenhouse gas emissions by 60% before 2050. On 3 December 2007, as his first official act after being sworn in, Rudd signed the Kyoto Protocol. On 15 December 2008, Rudd released a White Paper on reducing Australia's greenhouse gas emissions. The White Paper includes a plan to introduce an emissions trading scheme in 2010 that is known as the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme and gave a target range for Australia's greenhouse gas emissions in 2020 of between 5% and 15% less than 2000 levels. Last year Rudd announced that the Government will delay implementing an emissions trading scheme until 2011. This all sounds horribly familiar.
In opposition is Tony Abbott, federal leader of the centre-right Liberal Party of Australia.
At an October 2009 meeting in the Victorian town of Beaufort, Abbott told the audience that the concept of climate change was "absolute crap". When questioned about that statement, he said he had used "a bit of hyperbole" at that meeting rather than it being his "considered position". After his election as Liberal leader, Mr Abbott promised to have a strong and effective climate change policy - but not one that would damage Australian export industries, putting the country at a competitive disadvantage with its competitors.''It's quite likely that increased carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has some effect on climate, but debate rages among scientists over its extent and relative impact, given all the other factors at work.''
The Liberal Party is usually in a coalition with the smaller National Party.
The Australian Greens won 8 per cent of the 2007 vote. Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown says that, after the Copenhagen collapse, next year's federal election will be a referendum on global warming.
"The 2010 poll is shaping up as a vote for or against Australia taking a lead in fixing global warming below 1.5 degrees. That means a 2020 target of reducing the nation's greenhouse gas emissions by 40 percent over 1990 levels and, in doing so, taking action for the rest of this threatened world to follow," Senator Brown said. "Kevin Rudd's target range of 5-25 percent needs lifting to responsibly meet the need. Tony Abbott's got no effective target - so he is taxing everyone's patience. Where is his plan to tackle the polluters?"
Australia's emissions would increase by 13 per cent by 2020 - not fall by the promised 5 per cent - under Tony Abbott's Emissions Reduction Fund, say Rudds government.
More Pictures from Romans Demo
Here are some more pictures from the demo last week.
Romans Return To SilchesterThe Iron Age and Roman settlement of Calleva Atrebatum lies in the north of Hampshire in the parish of Silchester, roughly midway between the modern towns of Basingstoke and Reading.
Romans At Newbury Council
Join the Nuclear Information Service on Facebook, Twitter
Map of AWE here AWE peace camp block the builders
Trident Ploughshares on twitter
Theres an excellent letter in the local paper also
Preparations are being made for the big blockade at AWE 15th Feb
I've just heard activist Dan Viesnik free after 4 days in jail for non-payment of fine from AWE Aldermaston nuclear weapons protest!
Romans Return To SilchesterThe Iron Age and Roman settlement of Calleva Atrebatum lies in the north of Hampshire in the parish of Silchester, roughly midway between the modern towns of Basingstoke and Reading.
Romans At Newbury CouncilJoin the Nuclear Information Service on Facebook, Twitter
Map of AWE here AWE peace camp block the builders
Trident Ploughshares on twitter
Theres an excellent letter in the local paper also
Preparations are being made for the big blockade at AWE 15th Feb
I've just heard activist Dan Viesnik free after 4 days in jail for non-payment of fine from AWE Aldermaston nuclear weapons protest!
Friday, 5 February 2010
Anti-nuclear protestors dressed as Romans visit council offices to object to proposed development at AWE
You can also see a video here
Anti-nuclear protestors dressed as Romans visit council offices to object to proposed development at AWE
A Group of 'Romans' visited the West Berkshire Council offices bearing ‘gifts’ of radio-active waste. The Romans were, infact, members of the Nuclear Information Service (NIS), a pressure group, who are protesting against the latest development at the Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE). Dressed in Roman gear and carrying black bins, with radioactive labels on them, they stood outside the office bringing attention to their cause.
Peter Burt, director of the NIS, said the group decided to dress up like the Romans because they left a rich history, in Britain, that people could be proud of - unlike the “poisoned” environment people of today would leave future generations.
He added: “Thousands of visitors enjoy travelling to the Roman amphitheatre and ruins at Silchester every year. “But how would it be, if instead of leaving us these fascinating historical sites, they left behind their toxic radioactive waste and a poisoned environment for us to inherit? “That is exactly what we are planning to do with the waste that will be created by AWE's Project Pegasus. Because, we have devised no method of disposing of this waste in a way which is safe and poses no risks to the environment.
“Our historical view of the Romans would be very different if they had been irresponsible enough to have left us with the expense and danger of managing their unwanted radioactive wastes, yet that is exactly what we are planning to do for the generations who follow us.”
Project Pegasus is a multi-million pound development proposed by AWE which will provide long-term capability for the storage and handling of enriched uranium, a naturally occurring heavy metal enriched for use in nuclear weapons, at the Aldermaston site.
More than 900 objections have been received and a decision about the development is due to be made by members of the eastern area planning committee in the coming weeks. A recent survey of 550 residents carried out by local environmental groups, including the NIS, showed that 60 per cent believed the development should not go ahead. Ninety per-cent said they would like information about the environmental and safety impacts of the development to be made public before permission to build the facility is given.
Mr Burt added: “Common sense says that information about the hazards faced by public should be published before a development of this nature is given the go-ahead, and, quite reasonably, a large majority of people feel that we should be told more about the risks we will face.
“West Berkshire Council should pay careful attention to the results of this survey, and should not grant planning permission until adequate information about safety and risks is provided by AWE.”
This is the speech I read out to the press:
If you want to stop AWE there is a peaceful protest and blockade planned for the 15th February.
www.blockthebuilders.org.uk
CND
Anti-nuclear protestors dressed as Romans visit council offices to object to proposed development at AWE
A Group of 'Romans' visited the West Berkshire Council offices bearing ‘gifts’ of radio-active waste. The Romans were, infact, members of the Nuclear Information Service (NIS), a pressure group, who are protesting against the latest development at the Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE). Dressed in Roman gear and carrying black bins, with radioactive labels on them, they stood outside the office bringing attention to their cause.
Peter Burt, director of the NIS, said the group decided to dress up like the Romans because they left a rich history, in Britain, that people could be proud of - unlike the “poisoned” environment people of today would leave future generations.
He added: “Thousands of visitors enjoy travelling to the Roman amphitheatre and ruins at Silchester every year. “But how would it be, if instead of leaving us these fascinating historical sites, they left behind their toxic radioactive waste and a poisoned environment for us to inherit? “That is exactly what we are planning to do with the waste that will be created by AWE's Project Pegasus. Because, we have devised no method of disposing of this waste in a way which is safe and poses no risks to the environment.
“Our historical view of the Romans would be very different if they had been irresponsible enough to have left us with the expense and danger of managing their unwanted radioactive wastes, yet that is exactly what we are planning to do for the generations who follow us.”
Project Pegasus is a multi-million pound development proposed by AWE which will provide long-term capability for the storage and handling of enriched uranium, a naturally occurring heavy metal enriched for use in nuclear weapons, at the Aldermaston site.
More than 900 objections have been received and a decision about the development is due to be made by members of the eastern area planning committee in the coming weeks. A recent survey of 550 residents carried out by local environmental groups, including the NIS, showed that 60 per cent believed the development should not go ahead. Ninety per-cent said they would like information about the environmental and safety impacts of the development to be made public before permission to build the facility is given.
Mr Burt added: “Common sense says that information about the hazards faced by public should be published before a development of this nature is given the go-ahead, and, quite reasonably, a large majority of people feel that we should be told more about the risks we will face.
“West Berkshire Council should pay careful attention to the results of this survey, and should not grant planning permission until adequate information about safety and risks is provided by AWE.”
This is the speech I read out to the press:
Ave!!
Salvete omnes – greetings everybody.
We are Roman envoys from the nearby city of Calleva Atrebatum – or Silchester as you know it. Silchester has changed a great deal since our times – can you imagine what it was like two thousand years ago with far fewer people living locally, surrounded by forests, and with the civic buildings still intact?
We come bringing gifts to your generation from our generation. Unfortunately they are gifts you may not want. Here are all our most dangerous and unpleasant wastes, which we have been unable to dispose of ourselves. Looking after them safely will be an expensive and dangerous affair for you, I am afraid.
Do you not wish to accept these wastes? Do you think worse of us Romans for leaving you with this legacy? Yet we are doing nothing that you are not doing yourselves. The Atomic Weapons Establishment that you have built at Aldermaston near Silchester produces radioactive waste which is far more dangerous than anything we have left for you. Unlike our wastes, your wastes will remain toxic for hundreds of thousands of years. And the new factory that you are building at Aldermaston, named Pegasus after the flying horse from the stories of Greece, will create even more of this waste for the peoples who follow you to look after.
So to your civic leaders, we say think carefully about those who will follow you and do not repeat the mistakes of the past.
Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears;Vale!
We come to bury our waste, not to praise it.
The evil that men do lives after them;
The good is oft interred with their bones.
If you want to stop AWE there is a peaceful protest and blockade planned for the 15th February.
www.blockthebuilders.org.uk
CND
Come and join us on 15th February at the non-violent blockade of Aldermaston, organised by Trident Ploughshares. To maximise its impact this will start at 7am, continuing for as long as possible. You can sit, lie down, lock-on or simply provide support for those blockading. We need as many people as possible to stop the work at Aldermaston and tell the government loud and clear: No Trident Replacement. See here for full details on training, accommodation and transport.
Backlash against MP's "anti-Catholic hate speech"
After the news coverage on Wednesday of Martin Salter insulting the pope, the Catholics have responded.
Fr Bruce Barnes, parish priest at Christ the King Catholic Church in Whitley, said: "This is rather a cheap slur and it's very unfortunate when this sort of invective is used.
"If you criticise the Pope, you in effect criticise the whole Catholic Church.
"I'm sorry if Martin Salter finds us offensive - he should perhaps remember all the good work the Church has done in his constituency."
FR Ray Blake at StMaryMagdalen describes his words as a 'little piece of effluent that has has just floated down the Thames from the pen of Martin Salter, Member of Parliament for Reading West.'
Martin Salter MP hoped to minimise the damage, pretended it was all a joke. He said:
"I am genuinely sorry if people took my comments the wrong way, and I do assure people that my future blog posts will also poke fun at all political parties including my own, and probably poke fun at other religions and belief systems as well. This is a light-hearted way of getting some serious points of view across."
More than 140 people commented on Mr Salter's article, most of them deeply unhappy with its contents, including one who labelled it "anti-Catholic hate speech". Others speculate about the reaction if he said something similar about an Imam?
Incidentally the only Pope to hail from England was called Pope Adrian IV.
chronicle
reading107fm
indiatimes
usatoday
Fr Bruce Barnes, parish priest at Christ the King Catholic Church in Whitley, said: "This is rather a cheap slur and it's very unfortunate when this sort of invective is used.
"If you criticise the Pope, you in effect criticise the whole Catholic Church.
"I'm sorry if Martin Salter finds us offensive - he should perhaps remember all the good work the Church has done in his constituency."
FR Ray Blake at StMaryMagdalen describes his words as a 'little piece of effluent that has has just floated down the Thames from the pen of Martin Salter, Member of Parliament for Reading West.'
Martin Salter MP hoped to minimise the damage, pretended it was all a joke. He said:
"I am genuinely sorry if people took my comments the wrong way, and I do assure people that my future blog posts will also poke fun at all political parties including my own, and probably poke fun at other religions and belief systems as well. This is a light-hearted way of getting some serious points of view across."
More than 140 people commented on Mr Salter's article, most of them deeply unhappy with its contents, including one who labelled it "anti-Catholic hate speech". Others speculate about the reaction if he said something similar about an Imam?
Incidentally the only Pope to hail from England was called Pope Adrian IV.
chronicle
reading107fm
indiatimes
usatoday
Thursday, 4 February 2010
So The Iraq War Was Illegal
The most senior Foreign Office lawyer at the time of the invasion of Iraq said that he had considered the Iraq war to be illegal because it had not been authorised by the United Nations. Sir Michael Wood said
In potentially explosive testimony to the otherwise rather tame Iraq Inquiry, Sir Michael Wood also told how Jack Straw, then Foreign Secretary, had told the Americans he was "entirely comfortable" to be making the case for military action a year before the invasion eventually took place. That runs counter to Mr Straw's own evidence to the inquiry last week, when he insisted that he had only "very reluctantly" supported the war.
His deputy, Elizabeth Wilmshurst said "In my opinion, that use of force had not been authorised by the Security Council, and had no legal basis in international law." Ms Wilmshurst became the only British civil servant to quit over the war when she resigned days before the first attacks on Iraq, telling her superiors that an invasion without UN sanction would be a "crime of aggression".
Craig Murray quotes Tony Blair "You would be hard pressed to find anyone who in September 2002 doubted that Saddam had WMD". Craig argues that it wouldn't have been that hard. "If he had asked members of the Near East and North Africa Department of the FCO, the Middle East experts in the FCO's Research Analysts, or in the Defence Intelligence Service, he would have found absolutely no shortage of people who doubted it, whatever position No 10 was forcing on their institutions."
He goes on to say "One of the many failures of this Inquiry has been a failure to ask individual witnesses before it whether they personally had believed in the existence of any significant Iraqi WMD programme. I know for certain that would have drawn some extremely enlightening answers from among the FCO and probably MOD participants."
Craig goes on to make an interesting point about the "government spends a very great deal of public money on employing a whole cadre of the best public international lawyers in the world, but takes its legal advice on matters of war and peace from a shifty barrister mate of Tony Blair." He lists some publications from Sir Michael, and contrasts this with Lord Goldsmith who has no 'internationally accepted publications on international law'. 'The decision whether to go to war is a political question. But the legal advice should come from the most qualified source, not the source most likely to agree with the Prime Minister.'
That Blairs Cabinet are now saying they were not informed of the opinion of Sir Michael, just given a summary of Lord Goldsmith, says plenty about Labours methods.
Craig Murray was British Ambassador to Uzbekistan from August 2002 to October 2004. He found Western support for the dictatorial Karimov regime in Uzbekistan unconscionable and spoke out about what was happening, particularly torture and human rights abuses. Murray was subsequently removed from his ambassadorial post on October 14, 2004.
"I considered that the use of force against Iraq in March 2003 was contrary to international law.He also made plain that he consistently over two years advised both Blair and Straw direct that the war would be illegal.
In potentially explosive testimony to the otherwise rather tame Iraq Inquiry, Sir Michael Wood also told how Jack Straw, then Foreign Secretary, had told the Americans he was "entirely comfortable" to be making the case for military action a year before the invasion eventually took place. That runs counter to Mr Straw's own evidence to the inquiry last week, when he insisted that he had only "very reluctantly" supported the war.
His deputy, Elizabeth Wilmshurst said "In my opinion, that use of force had not been authorised by the Security Council, and had no legal basis in international law." Ms Wilmshurst became the only British civil servant to quit over the war when she resigned days before the first attacks on Iraq, telling her superiors that an invasion without UN sanction would be a "crime of aggression".
Craig Murray quotes Tony Blair "You would be hard pressed to find anyone who in September 2002 doubted that Saddam had WMD". Craig argues that it wouldn't have been that hard. "If he had asked members of the Near East and North Africa Department of the FCO, the Middle East experts in the FCO's Research Analysts, or in the Defence Intelligence Service, he would have found absolutely no shortage of people who doubted it, whatever position No 10 was forcing on their institutions."
He goes on to say "One of the many failures of this Inquiry has been a failure to ask individual witnesses before it whether they personally had believed in the existence of any significant Iraqi WMD programme. I know for certain that would have drawn some extremely enlightening answers from among the FCO and probably MOD participants."
Craig goes on to make an interesting point about the "government spends a very great deal of public money on employing a whole cadre of the best public international lawyers in the world, but takes its legal advice on matters of war and peace from a shifty barrister mate of Tony Blair." He lists some publications from Sir Michael, and contrasts this with Lord Goldsmith who has no 'internationally accepted publications on international law'. 'The decision whether to go to war is a political question. But the legal advice should come from the most qualified source, not the source most likely to agree with the Prime Minister.'
That Blairs Cabinet are now saying they were not informed of the opinion of Sir Michael, just given a summary of Lord Goldsmith, says plenty about Labours methods.
Craig Murray was British Ambassador to Uzbekistan from August 2002 to October 2004. He found Western support for the dictatorial Karimov regime in Uzbekistan unconscionable and spoke out about what was happening, particularly torture and human rights abuses. Murray was subsequently removed from his ambassadorial post on October 14, 2004.
Wednesday, 3 February 2010
Martin Salter MP Insults The Pope
Martin Salter MP for Reading West said "There is no prospect of my ever blogging. What little I have seen of the blogsphere, it seems to me to be the last refuge for tragic insomniacs who lack social skills.”
So welcome to the world of blogging Martin. You can see read it here
His first few blogs were distinguished only in uniting his readers who comment against him. Then yesterday he decided to attack the Pope. He said the Pope was a 'hypocrite', a 'bloke in a dress', and that 'I find the hypocrisy of the Pope reprehensible'.
Only an MP that has already decided to stand down would think it clever to do this, the millions Catholics in this country should rise up against him.
Even before this latest outrage, Martin has been well known as a hypocrite who is quick to insult others. I have a few examples:
climate change
Calling Polish people thieves
gurkhas
Hunting
censorship
name changes
He also campaigned to save Post Offices & then voted to close them.
And of course Iraq where he pretended to be a rebel but failed to vote.
I sum it up here where I state why I joined the Green Party in order to oppose him.
He had his own expenses scandal; in October 2007 Martin broke parliamentary rules, though he now claims that the complaint against him was rejected. This is a matter of public record, and I will not be silenced by him, despite his attempts at bullying; he threatened to sue me if I mention it. See here
or here
Some other websites/blogs on this; Saint Mary Magdalen , South Wales Argus, Berkshire Humanists
Update
Reading Chronicle'MP Martin Salter came under fire today'
Reading Post'
Was
Its fine to disagree with the Pope, but not to insult him, indeed its not ok to insult anyone.
Greens including Peter Tatchell back a petition 'Protest the Pope' here
Contrast, Greens And Labour, Protect Or Build On Playing Fields
It really took some doing, but the local Labour Party are so bad that they are causing a stir. Their ex MP Jane Griffiths has been following the storey for some time. Basically a council document listed sites for potential development, nothing was yet decided, but the danger was there. Park Ward Green Candidate Rob White found the document, got a petition from local residents and highlighted the danger. Now the Labour Party could simply have said we agree, we don't want 315 homes built on a playing field, lets remove this site from the list. But no, thanks to their candidate ex-Cllr Richard McKenzie, they decided to pretend that the site was never on the list, though it was on the website! Richard writes a blog with no comments allowed,
here. So I am responding to him here. Jane has written a commentary for this, which I have copied below.
a straw man
Rob White and the Green Party, campaigning for Park ward as they consistently and energetically do, have been highlighting the development plans for the Alfred Sutton playing fields, as well they might, and they have succeeded in bringing out into the open the secret and corrupt ways of the leadership of the Reading Labour Group. Basher McKenzie, who wonders aloud on his website why people keep trying to run him over, (probably because one violent thug the less keeps the population safer, eh Basher?), thinks he will gain some electoral advantage in Park ward (though putting on your side bar "Where is Park Ward?" is not the best idea Basher) by rubbishing the Greens instead of campaigning positively on practical policies. With this in view he "publishes" a letter from Cllr Tony Page, as follows: ( a little light fisking is irresistible here)
Reply to Mr White from Cllr Page Janes Comments Italic
I thank Mr White for his petition but very much regret the mischief-making and scaremongering agenda oh no you've rumbled us we were trying to keep that secret that lay behind this petition. There is no threat whatsoever to the playing fields. we have always been at war with EurasiaThe Site Allocations Document is now known as the Sites and Detailed Policies Document, so now we've changed its name that's all right then and the draft document is to be discussed at this meeting. which we had to be dragged kicking and screaming into doing The Thames Valley University playing fields are not included in the Sites and Detailed Policies Document, and there is therefore no need to remove them. oh yes they are, read the document and see below The existing built form of the TVU site, along with the areas used for parking, are included as an allocation primarily for education. Should it not be required for education then the policy does allow for residential see? and there are no plans to build any more schools in that area, but it is clear, and explicitly stated on page 94 of the latest document we hoped you wouldn't read that far that this would not include the adjacent playing fields.The whole Crescent Road campus, including the playing fields, was included as a candidate site in an earlier consultation version of the Site Allocations Document in 2008 we had it down to build on all along, you bastards, you spotted it, as it had been nominated for development by the University a big boy did it and ran away – not the Council. so who gives planning permission then? The Council consulted on all of the approximately 100 sites that had been nominated for development, as it is required to do. and the Greens have been responding, which we have decided to call "scaremongering"The document explicitly stated on several occasions that the Council did not necessarily endorse any sites. The playing fields are among a number of sites consulted on in 2008 that are not included in the current draft document. no - now we have been rumbled we are simply going to hem it in with car parking and prevent public access until in due course there is residential development on the site and the by-then-disused playing fields are covered with condoms and needles and sold off to another developer.
here. So I am responding to him here. Jane has written a commentary for this, which I have copied below.
a straw man
Rob White and the Green Party, campaigning for Park ward as they consistently and energetically do, have been highlighting the development plans for the Alfred Sutton playing fields, as well they might, and they have succeeded in bringing out into the open the secret and corrupt ways of the leadership of the Reading Labour Group. Basher McKenzie, who wonders aloud on his website why people keep trying to run him over, (probably because one violent thug the less keeps the population safer, eh Basher?), thinks he will gain some electoral advantage in Park ward (though putting on your side bar "Where is Park Ward?" is not the best idea Basher) by rubbishing the Greens instead of campaigning positively on practical policies. With this in view he "publishes" a letter from Cllr Tony Page, as follows: ( a little light fisking is irresistible here)
Reply to Mr White from Cllr Page Janes Comments Italic
I thank Mr White for his petition but very much regret the mischief-making and scaremongering agenda oh no you've rumbled us we were trying to keep that secret that lay behind this petition. There is no threat whatsoever to the playing fields. we have always been at war with EurasiaThe Site Allocations Document is now known as the Sites and Detailed Policies Document, so now we've changed its name that's all right then and the draft document is to be discussed at this meeting. which we had to be dragged kicking and screaming into doing The Thames Valley University playing fields are not included in the Sites and Detailed Policies Document, and there is therefore no need to remove them. oh yes they are, read the document and see below The existing built form of the TVU site, along with the areas used for parking, are included as an allocation primarily for education. Should it not be required for education then the policy does allow for residential see? and there are no plans to build any more schools in that area, but it is clear, and explicitly stated on page 94 of the latest document we hoped you wouldn't read that far that this would not include the adjacent playing fields.The whole Crescent Road campus, including the playing fields, was included as a candidate site in an earlier consultation version of the Site Allocations Document in 2008 we had it down to build on all along, you bastards, you spotted it, as it had been nominated for development by the University a big boy did it and ran away – not the Council. so who gives planning permission then? The Council consulted on all of the approximately 100 sites that had been nominated for development, as it is required to do. and the Greens have been responding, which we have decided to call "scaremongering"The document explicitly stated on several occasions that the Council did not necessarily endorse any sites. The playing fields are among a number of sites consulted on in 2008 that are not included in the current draft document. no - now we have been rumbled we are simply going to hem it in with car parking and prevent public access until in due course there is residential development on the site and the by-then-disused playing fields are covered with condoms and needles and sold off to another developer.
Tuesday, 2 February 2010
Meeting Radiation Risks At Low Doses and update on Dan Viesnik
RADIATION RISKS AT LOW DOSES:
New studies on the impacts of low-level radiation
Dr Ian Fairlie
(Independent consultant on radiation and health)
All welcome - Admission free
Organised by Nuclear Awareness Group (NAG)
Information: 0118 327 7489 / www.nuclearawarenessgroup.org.uk
7.00 pm Thursday 11 February
RISC Centre
35-39 London Street, Reading
Yesterday AWE protestor Dan Viesnik got 14 days imprisonment.
'I was in the public gallery of Court 4 at Highbury Corner magistrates courts this afternoon (1/2/2010) with about twenty other supporters of Dan Viesnik. Dan is a peace activist and active supporter of Brent Green Party.'
I was with Dan as we walked from AWE to London with footprints for peace in Aug 2007.
The facts of the case are much as reported already on http://greenleftblog.blogspot.com/ and http://wembleymatters.blogspot.com/. Dan had refused to pay a total of £515 in fines and costs imposed after his arrest for a sit down protest in the entrance to Aldermaston Atomic Weapons Establishment.
New studies on the impacts of low-level radiation
Dr Ian Fairlie
(Independent consultant on radiation and health)
All welcome - Admission free
Organised by Nuclear Awareness Group (NAG)
Information: 0118 327 7489 / www.nuclearawarenessgroup.org.uk
7.00 pm Thursday 11 February
RISC Centre
35-39 London Street, Reading
Yesterday AWE protestor Dan Viesnik got 14 days imprisonment.
'I was in the public gallery of Court 4 at Highbury Corner magistrates courts this afternoon (1/2/2010) with about twenty other supporters of Dan Viesnik. Dan is a peace activist and active supporter of Brent Green Party.'
I was with Dan as we walked from AWE to London with footprints for peace in Aug 2007.
The facts of the case are much as reported already on http://greenleftblog.blogspot.com/ and http://wembleymatters.blogspot.com/. Dan had refused to pay a total of £515 in fines and costs imposed after his arrest for a sit down protest in the entrance to Aldermaston Atomic Weapons Establishment.
As his letter to the court (quoted on http://greenleftblog.blogspot.com/), shows Dan has decided to continue his protest against the grotesque distortions of justice caused by the British Government’s committment to Weapons of Mass Destruction. Dan continued his argument in the statement that he read out to the court which protested against the resources spent on nukes in a world where chronic poverty continued. Dan ended his statement with a quote from Thoreau affirming that an individual acting according to his/her own conscience should be a better guide to conduct than the letter of law. In this instance I agree with Dan and Thoreau.I echo the words of http://wembleymatters.blogspot.com/2010/02/wembley-peace-activist-sentenced-to-14.html 'I express my admiration for Dan's principled action and his courage at a time when there is so little of either in evidence from our politicians. It is incredible that on Friday the Chilcott Inquiry failed to make Tony Blair answer for waging an illegal war, which killed thousands of innocent civilians, on a pretext of non-existent Weapons of Mass Destruction; and on Monday a peace activist was jailed for not paying a fine incurred when he demonstrated against our own Weapons of Mass Destruction.'
Advised by the Clerk of the Court, the Bench decided that Dan’s explicit refusal to pay his fine or even acknowledge that he had committed a crime by giving details of his means, meant that they had no option but to imprison Dan. The fact that they gave him 14 days rather than 28 which they could have done, may indicate sympathy or may indicate a wish to minimize the prison population, but in any event, I am sure that Dan has the best wishes and support of many Green Party members and others. I hope that we will be able to find a way to let him know this.
Monday, 1 February 2010
Emissions drop due to recession
The government is expected to confirm tomorrow that emissions of greenhouse gases fell by a 2% in 2008 compared to the previous year. Ministers pretend the figures are evidence that the UK is on the right track to meeting its targets; to cut emissions by over a third by 2020 compared to 1990 levels.
But energy experts said that the small decline was a result of the recession and record energy prices, rather than government policy. In 2008 petrol prices and utility bills soared, prompting motorists and households to be more frugal.
Chris Goodall, energy and environment author, said: "What drove 2008 emissions lower were high energy prices and by the end of the year a decline in economic activity, rather than any structural changes. Although government policies are beginning to work they won't be enough to meet 2020 targets on their own. It seems that, unfortunately, high energy prices are a more important part of reducing energy demand and emissions."
In 2007, according to government estimates, the UK emitted 636.6m tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent. The government issued provisional figures last year indicating that 2008 emissions stood at 623.8m tonnes carbon dioxide equivalent, 2% down on 2007.
The emissions cuts, only the fourth in the last 50 years, provide countries with a unique chance to switch to less carbon-intensive energy sources, said the IEA's chief economist, Fatih Birol.
"Average growth in emissions has been 3% a year but we estimate this year that emissions will fall 3%. Because of the financial crisis, many industries have the chance to move away from unsustainable power." he said.
But energy experts said that the small decline was a result of the recession and record energy prices, rather than government policy. In 2008 petrol prices and utility bills soared, prompting motorists and households to be more frugal.
Chris Goodall, energy and environment author, said: "What drove 2008 emissions lower were high energy prices and by the end of the year a decline in economic activity, rather than any structural changes. Although government policies are beginning to work they won't be enough to meet 2020 targets on their own. It seems that, unfortunately, high energy prices are a more important part of reducing energy demand and emissions."
In 2007, according to government estimates, the UK emitted 636.6m tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent. The government issued provisional figures last year indicating that 2008 emissions stood at 623.8m tonnes carbon dioxide equivalent, 2% down on 2007.
The emissions cuts, only the fourth in the last 50 years, provide countries with a unique chance to switch to less carbon-intensive energy sources, said the IEA's chief economist, Fatih Birol.
"Average growth in emissions has been 3% a year but we estimate this year that emissions will fall 3%. Because of the financial crisis, many industries have the chance to move away from unsustainable power." he said.
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