| Did your email system distort this newsletter? Click here to see it online. To make sure emails from Politics.co.uk don’t go into your junk folder, please add us to your email contacts. To stop receiving emails such as this, please update your preferences or unsubscribe here. | |
 |    |
| It was one of those weeks in politics which everyone was happy to see the end of. There were odd bits of interesting news – the Prism surveillance system and Tim Yeo's inadequacies among them – but the news agenda was a little light. Yeo was the latest victim of a sting operation with reporters posing as lobbyists, this time for a renewable energy company. You wonder whether there are any real lobbyists left or if they're all just hacks in costume. How MPs still fall for this trick is beyond me. The chair of the energy select committee had just been interviewed by our own Alex Stevenson, who was somewhat disturbed by his extensive business interests in the precise policy area he was investigating. All above board, of course, and all highly questionable. Presumably it was these interests which made reporters think they might have a biter. Yeo stood down as chair while he fights to clear his name. The man who took over from him forsook the salary but did have the slight disadvantage of possessing financial interests in oil. John Bercow is becoming so dismayed by the impact on parliament's reputation that he might actually do something about it. Meanwhile William Hague was battling suggestions that the UK had made use of a covert snoopers' charter when it tapped into the US National Security Agency's Prism system. Of course, intelligence authorities can't just go looking at internet users' behaviour without a warrant. Unless someone else does it, in which case they probably can. The foreign secretary deployed his best tonal barrage in the Commons, but his statement raised more questions than it answered. Of course, you can ask those questions until you're sore in the throat and not get much more than 'sorry - national security' in response. Welcome to the thankless tedium of scrutinising intelligence agencies. The original Guardian story which broke the Prism system appeared to grow holes by the day, mostly through over-emphasis, but the core scandal remained. Nevertheless, most members of the public are unconcerned about people checking on their email. Polling showed they largely trust security forces. As ever, it's hard to get the public excited about civil liberties. And because they're so relaxed about it, British MEPs are in Europe watering down data protection laws to the point of meaninglessness. Meanwhile, Syria bubbled away in the background in a way that raised some very interesting prospects for UK politics. By the end of the week, the US had decided to start arming the rebels, after concluding chemical weapons had definitely been used. The UK claims not to have made up its mind yet, but it certainly looks as if it's heading in that direction. That then raises the question of what Labour intends to do. Usually on foreign policy issues – especially in the Middle East – Labour are on the same page as the Tories. But this time it's a little different. Miliband issued some probing questions about Syria during PMQs which the prime minister appeared unable to answer. Because it was foreign policy no-one paid any attention, but it was revealing stuff which suggested David Cameron was either under-briefed or evasive. As things stand, it appears Labour will oppose a move to send arms to rebels unless there are clear guarantees (which will inevitably be meaningless in practice) of them only being used to defend the civilian population. Many Labour MPs are uncomfortable with that. And many Tory MPs - at least 81 of them – are on Miliband's side, rather than Cameron's. It raises the prospect of a government defeat on a major foreign policy decision. Little by little, Britain is slipping towards taking a role in the Syrian conflict, and Westminster is utterly divided on whether that's a good thing. Best of news...Northern Ireland leaders look to dismantle 'peace walls' A plan to dismantle the gates, fences and walls dividing Catholic and Protestant areas of Northern Ireland's built-up areas are to be dismantled within a decade, leaders will announce later. 'Take on Farage': President of Romanian senate comes to UK with hard message for Clegg The president of the Romanian parliament has warned mainstream politicians in Britain to challenge "unapologetic populists" on immigration, ahead of a key meeting with Nick Clegg. 'Haphazard, not malicious': Incompetence behind Lib Dem sex allegation fiasco Nick Clegg should have asked for a formal investigation into sexual harassment allegations against the Liberal Democrat chief executive, an independent probe into the party's culture has found. The Ukip surge falters: Farage loses a third of his support Ukip's extraordinary surge in the polls appears to have faltered, after a new poll saw them lose a third of their support and fall back to level with the Liberal Democrats. The sales reps who target mothers hours after they give birth The practice of sales reps targeting new mothers just hours after giving birth came under intense scrutiny today, after a new survey revealed the extent of commercial interference in maternity wards. The weirdest recession of all Economic experts bedevilled by the riddle of falling inequality and unexpectedly positive unemployment think they are finally cracking the code of the double-dip recession. Dumbing up? Gove strips back GCSEs A more "rigorous" set of GCSEs will not result in falling grades, Michael Gove has claimed, as teaching unions greet the proposals with cynicism and scorn. MPs raise alarm over policy which breaks up British families One of the coalition's immigration policies is splitting up British families and leading children to be raised without their parents, MPs warned today. Best of Comment and AnalysisComment: Why won't Britain stand up to fascism in the Baltics? An appalling political change is taking place in eastern Europe, but Britain's cowardly ministers don't have the bravery to address it. Comment: This puritanical attack on electronic cigarettes will cost lives The government is intent on crippling an industry which has shown huge success in getting people off cigarettes. What a Ukip octogenarian can teach our frazzled MPs Being a politician is not straightforward. In fact it can be a horrible mixture of hard work and hellish bullying from your peers. You need a thick skin to survive. Comment: MPs need to realise we just don't need HS2 No matter how big the question marks over the HS2 project get, the government seems even more determined to push the project through. The only way to apply the brakes is for MPs to be responsible. Comment: Mainstream UK politicians should challenge Farage's populism Britain and Romania can benefit from a closer relationship - but mainstream politicians need to challenge Ukip's populism first. Sex and power: What the Catholic Church and political parties have in common Sexual shenanigans are never far from the surface in Westminster. If at times it feels like our politicians just can't help but jump into bed with someone they shouldn't, a report out today suggests there's a reason for that. Comment: Time to rekindle the coal industry Coal has traditionally been criticised as a fuel source - but new clean coal technologies could be better for the UK than wind or solar power. Audio: Tim Yeo defends his financial interests Here's what Tim Yeo had to say when asked about his business activities, which in the 2012/13 financial year earned him over £160,000: Sketch: Ken Clarke stands up for Bilderberg Generating laughter as subtle as a sledgehammer, Ken Clarke put in a hilarious performance defending the secretive goings-on of the Bilderberg Group this afternoon. Prism proves why you can never trust intelligence agencies It appears that intelligence agencies may have created a snoopers' charter by stealth. This is what happens when you trust them. The political week onlineThe Political Week Online: Murdoch, Deng, lizards, Galloway. (Not in order of preference.) Rupert Murdoch is to divorce Wendi Deng, prompting a bit of a chinwag about the good old days, from Tony Blair to foam pies. I wonder what Alex Jones would have to say about it? | Opinion FormersBFAWU video: Why join our trade union? BFAWU: No more Bedroom Tax deathsBenefit Justice campaigners everywhere are sad and bitter at the heartbreaking death of Stephanie Bottrill. The Government's attack on benefits must not be allowed to kill another person. Britain’s Sexual Revolution - a talk by Dr Matt CookGalha, the LGBT section of the BHA presents a special meeting to mark the International Day against Homophobia and Transphobia. NASUWT: Parents, teachers and the public rally for educationAs part of a campaign to defend the education of children and young people, parents, teachers, headteachers, governors and other members of the public will be taking part on Saturday (11 May) in the next series of Rallies for Education following the hugely successful events in the North West on 27 April. Voice calls on Nick Clegg to stand firm and block adult-child ratio changesVoice: the union for education professionals – which represents nursery staff and nannies – has welcomed reports that Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg will block changes to adult-child ratios in childcare. CIOB: Skills shortages still a concern for faltering construction industryResults from the 2013 skills audit from the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) indicate that the construction industry is still suffering from skills shortages. IET on Queen's Speech: Commitment needed for entire HS2 routeA lack of commitment from the Government for the entire route of the HS2 line means that this vital infrastructure project risks being developed in isolation, the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) has warned. NUT on Queen’s Speech: Many teachers "in despair"Commenting on today’s Queen’s Speech, setting out the programme of Government legislation, Christine Blower, General Secretary of the National Union of Teachers, the largest teachers’ union, said: NASUWT on Queen's Speech: Mesothelioma bill welcomeCommenting on the announcement within the Queen’s Speech that the Government intends to bring forward a Mesothelioma Bill before Parliament, Chris Keates, General Secretary of the NASUWT, the largest teachers’ union said. “This announcement is welcome in that it is at least as sign that historic exposure to asbestos is at last being taken seriously." ESRC: How family conflict affects childrenNew research funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) reveals why some children are badly affected by negative family conflicts while other children survive without significant problems. |
No comments:
Post a Comment