“Screaming black eyed child ghost terror” screams the front page of today’s Daily Star with a story of a ghostly apparition on Cannock Chase – the Staffordshire beauty spot that is, literally, on my doorstep. I don’t give such stories much credence. It’s up there with the Cannock Chase Pig Man; the Cannock Chase Puma; […]
Month: September 2014
When is a journalist a “commercial observer”?
The Conservatives are in town – that’s if your town is Birmingham. They are relatively frequent visitors to the Midlands and a few years ago, with a confirmed commission, I applied for media accreditation to cover the conference. My application was denied. The reason that was given was that I was not representing a national publication […]
Outgoing MPs should foot the bill for self-serving by-elections
Democracy is priceless asset. Throughout the world, over the centuries, ordinary people have fought for the right to elect the people who represent them. It is a battle that has been going on in more recent times; and is even going on today. From the suffragette movement in the UK in the early 20th Century; through to […]
Unease at Parliament’s motion on ISIL
Today, Parliament will debate military action against the so-called Islamic State in Syria. Personally, I’m in favour of military action. But I’m extremely uneasy about today’s Parliamentary proceedings. This is the motion MPs will debate: “That this House condemns the barbaric acts of ISIL against the peoples of Iraq including the Sunni, Shia, Kurds, Christians and […]
Devolution and constitutional reform: Is it time to restore the Kingdoms?
Much has been said in the aftermath of Scotland’s “No” to independence about ensuring that the English get a fair deal in any further devolution package. But most of what has been said has ignored the basic question about what our democratic institutions are for. And ‘solutions’ are being put forward without any real debate […]
Abu Qatada’s fair trial
Commentators have been quick to denounce the Home Secretary Theresa May following the aquittal of Abu Qatada on terrorism charges in Jordan. Media silk John Cooper was one of them, asking on Twitter: “Will Theresa “3 Silk” May comment on the millions of taxpayers money spent to extradite Qatada on evidence now rejected by the […]
The victim was unable to substantiate the allegation
“No action was taken because the victim was unable to substantiate the allegation” – those were the words today of a senior Metropolitan Police detective explaining why no action was taken against a man accused of sexually assaulting a 14 year old girl. The man, who was arrested at the time, is now a suspect […]