The benefits of multiculturalism!

Arrests over Israeli embassy demo

UK rocket attacks?

What would the UK do if it was being attacked on a daily basis just like Israel?

Would it strike back or offer money, power-sharing and a voice on Policing!?!

In other news, "the prime minister is expected to urge the public to "display the same spirit" as their predecessors did in World War II."

The future's bright, the future's Public Sector!

How many public sector workers face redundancy or pay freezes in 2009!?!

Tax cuts

Does George Osborne understand why taxes should be cut or is merely playing to the gallery!?!

If he promised to increase the basic personal allowance to #10,000 and scrap Gordon's tax credits, he would galvanise support!

Labour "fears" about how such tax cuts would be funded can be easily rebuffed - increase borrowing;)

Obama on Gaza

What is President-elect Barack Obama's view of Israel's retaliatory strikes on Hamas infrastructure in Gaza!?!

It's difficult to imagine Israel lashing out without warning Bush and Obama in advance...

PS Can we assume Somali pirate activity will rapidly decline once Chinese warships start taking no prisoners!?!

Reflections on 2008, fears for 2009.

If David Cameron's Conservatives are unable to create a clear set of policies on how to fix Britain after eleven years of Labour's mismanagement and as Britain's economy faces perhaps it's most challenging times since Hitler, should we give up on politics and dig shelters instead!?!

Given the peculiarities of Britain's electoral system, it becomes easier to imagine Labour being returned to office in 2010 now than even just three months ago! My greatest fear is that the Conservatives would then flounder in the wilderness for another generation as the economy eventually corrects itself!

If Conservatives are unable to be an electoral threat during the current bust, what hope is there in another boom!?!

Iraq trial for UK death suspects

Shouldn't it be a "real hope" that "two Iraqis accused of killing two British soldiers can be tried by Iraqi authorities [ ] could face the death penalty" rather than a "real risk"!?!

Charity and Public Benefits

Have private schools now proved their charitable status on "public benefit" if local councils face additional pressures on their finances as parents switch from private to state schools to save money!?!

BBC on grammar schools?

If 81.8% of parents think Grammar schools are "much better" than other state schools and 62.5% of parents think there should be more Grammar schools, is it surprising that some parents prepare their children for the 11+!?!

Does the BBC have an educational agenda opposing Grammar schools when so many BBC employees have been privately educated?

A lot of hot air?

How serious is the Government about saving the environment when it is considering a financial package to support the manufacturer of some of the most polluting cars in the UK, Jaguar Landrover!?!

Muslim guilty of directing terror?

Is the BBC self-censoring when it describes the "first al-Qaeda suspect convicted in the UK of directing terrorism" as British rather than Muslim!?!

Vauxhall

How keen is the government to rein back employment in the public sector when it expects taxpayers to dig deep into their pockets to support third rate car manufacturer Vauxhall through the economic downturn!?!

Vauxhall was rated 26th out of the 33 car manufacturers in the JD Power survey 2007!

"Vauxhall Vectra Rating 76.4% Overall ranking 93rd: The Vectra's only saving grace is that it proved reasonably well built. Otherwise, it could have been looking at its second consecutive year at the bottom of its class [ Family cars]. Owners didn't like how it drove, its running costs or the interior's lack of practicality, and slated the service from their dealers. However, the biggest criticisms were for how the car looked, its uncomfortable seats, awkward dash layout and poor stereo and ventilation systems. The Vectra was by far the worst car in this class for these aspects."

British cultural imperialism?

Why are British authorities getting involved in the case of trainee NHS doctor Humayra Abedin when she is not a British national?

Is it a classic example of cultural imperialism!?!

Reaping the whirlwind?

If three quarters of the most serious terror plots being investigated by UK authorities have links to Pakistan, why are we giving #480m in aid to Pakistan!?!

Will the terrorists thank us!?!

Woolworths

Would that "noblest" of British institutions, Woolworths, have failed if it was funded like the BBC - everyone has to pay Woolworths whether they shop there or not!?!

Olympic help for 2012.

Perhaps now is the time to stand up, be counted and help all those poor, overpaid consultants struggling to manage the finances of the 2012 London Olympics.

Should Tessa Jowell ask, I have a tent she can use if her attempts to "raise private cash to build the 2012 Olympic village" fail!

Policies up in smoke?

What's the point of banning tobacco displays if it only reduces the prevalence of smoking amongst young people by just 20,000 smokers or 10%, "the key evidence"!?!

It's difficult to imagine any other Government policy being introduced with such poor outcomes apart from the banning of vending machines that are only used by 20% of 11-15 year old smokers anyway!

Are the youth of today so stupid that they could not find an alternative source of cigarettes!?!

PS If the Government is so concerned about smokers' health, why not just ban cigarettes!?!

Education think

When will education reforms recommend that an image of our "heroic" leader should appear in every class room in the country?

Once upon a time, parents were expected to foster the "personal, social and emotional qualities essential to their health, well-being and life as a responsible citizen in the 21st Century". The state will now be expected to do this!

Shiver me timbers!

Why weren't Stansted Airport Fire Services asked to hose 50 protestors down with ice-cold water during this morning's protest!?!

Their selfish contempt of others should be penalised rather than rewarded with the oxygen of publicity!

Vauxhall

Why should British taxpayers be expected to help Vauxhall when British car drivers don't want to buy them!?!

DNA Busters?

Did Police take a sample of the Shadow Immigration Minister's DNA when he was arrested or did they overlook him as he is an MP!?!

"Under present laws, the DNA profiles of everyone arrested for a recordable offence in England, Wales and Northern Ireland are kept on the database, regardless of whether they are charged or convicted."

Brown's mortgage plan?

When will Gordon Brown's family suffer "a redundancy or significant loss of income as a result of the downturn" that means they struggle to pay the mortgage!?!

Police Farce?

If Police can't ensure that their paperwork is all in order prior to the high profile search of offices within the Houses of Parliament, what hope is there for the rest of us!?!

Are Police simply too stupid to know it's high profile!?!

Breadline poor

How can a third of Scotland's population still be "breadline poor" after eleven years of New Labour and record budget deficits!?!

Are such people now beyond help or simply unable (or unwilling) to help themselves?

Washing my hands of AIDS?

As Britain heads towards a budget deficit of £128bn by 2010/11, can it really afford to spend £6bn tackling the AIDS epidemic in sub-saharan Africa?

If £6bn is essential to save so many lives, why not spend £10bn instead!?!

Would more lives be saved by raising basic levels of hygiene by buying essential items like soap rather than jumping on a popstar inspired bandwagon?

Measles

If "Measles is about the most infectious virus we know. It just spreads like wildfire", why have just 60 children caught the infection out of 10,000 in Cheshire!?!

PS I had measles three years ago so now have lifelong immunity to the disease...

PPS How many of the 1,049 new measles cases had already been vaccinated!?! "Due to the damage to the immune system, ONLY the vaccinated are contracting the atypical forms of the diseases, which are more serious than the typical forms, e.g. the rash in atypical measles moves in the wrong direction, heading straight for the vital organs instead of away from them, resulting in those serious cases of pneumonia, meningitis, etc, we keep getting told about.".

"Outbreaks often occur soon after the vaccination programs (e.g. Corpus Christi, 1985 where, by the way, ALL those who contracted measles were vaccinated, the unvaccinated 1% did not!)".

Police State?

• Twelve British National Party (BNP) members have been arrested on suspicion of distributing racist material in Liverpool city centre. "Merseyside Police condemns racism in all of its forms and will take prompt action to support all of our communities." - Sunday, November 23rd.
• Conservative immigration spokesman Damian Green arrested by anti-terror Police, held for nine hours and released on bail in connection with a series of leaks from the Home Office.

When will the BBC's Robert Peston disappear!?!

National Poor Health Service?

If "70% of both women and men said they would be more careful about creating waste if they had to pay for it to be collected", would "70% of both women and men [say] they would be more careful about [their health]" if they had to pay for their own medical treatment rather than rely on the NHS!?!

Snakeoil Politicians

Why are Conservatives being condemned for offering no policies to "cure" the world of it's current financial crisis when that, ironically, is the only effective cure!?!

The global crisis needs to be allowed to run it's course. Yes, it will be painful, many jobs will be lost and there will be social strife and their will be a greater redistribution of wealth than ever before. However, none of the bail-outs address the underlying cause of the present crisis, excessive spending this decade, an asset price bubble and far too many people living beyond their means.

Snakeoil politicians offering "cures" that will encourage more spending merely want to delay the inevitable period of retrenchment until their time in power ends. It's disgusting. Debts still need to be repaid one day and, sooner or later, people will need to adjust their lifestyles so they spend less than they earn.

More fuel on a fire does not extinguish it.

All hal breaks loose!

What happens if a chef refuses to touch halal meat as it breaches normal animal welfare rules!?!

John Sergeant for Poet Laureate?

Will the public be allowed to vote for John Sergeant as the new Poet Laureate or will the winner be imposed by the establishment!?!

Brown's Britain

Just in case Gordon Brown's latest wheeze to save the economy fails, 30,000 Police are to be armed with Taser stun guns...

Growing benefits?

Will lone parents need to have more children if they face losing benefits when their youngest child is 12 rather than 16 as at present!?!

Papa do preach!

Madonna and Ritchie begin divorce.

Manchester's Congestion Charge

Do you want other people to pay more tax so you don't have to!?!

Only Mancunians expected to pay the congestion charge should be allowed to vote!

Thought Crunching

Is a recession / depression good for the environment!?!

BBC Computer Licence?

Will streaming BBC1 and BBC2 live on the internet soon mean that people will need TV licences for their computers even if they don't own a television!?!

You have to congratulate the BBC, they do everything they can to increase the reach of their insidious organisation!

Visa go-go!

Why are officials "under pressure" to issue visas to meet productivity targets rather than ensure they are issued correctly!?!

It should take longer to approve visas than reject them.

Global Chilling?

Can we trust the BBC to accurately report it's pet subject, Global Warming, when it relies on shoddy data from "Nasa's Goddard Institute for Space Studies (Giss)"!?!

"Major changes in the Earth's natural systems are being driven by global warming, according to a vast analysis."

"GISS's computerised temperature maps seemed to show readings across a large part of Russia had been up to 10 degrees higher than normal. But when expert readers of the two leading warming-sceptic blogs, Watts Up With That and Climate Audit, began detailed analysis of the GISS data they made an astonishing discovery. The reason for the freak figures was that scores of temperature records from Russia and elsewhere were not based on October readings at all. Figures from the previous month had simply been carried over and repeated two months running." - Daily Telegraph.

Muslim admits he is 'a terrorist'?

Was Dr Bilal Abdulla engaging in terrorist activities in the UK to "highlight the plight of [doctors] in Iraq and Afghanistan" or the plight of Muslims!?!

The BBC avoids mentioning Islam anywhere in the report!

I say, I say, Icesave!

How many of the UK savers with Icesave declared the interest earned on their accounts to the UK taxman!?!

"Chancellor Alistair Darling promised that UK savers would get all of their money back, with the Treasury providing the FSCS with £800 million to fund the compensation of deposits over £50,000."

How do I claim compensation for not being fooled by the offer of such high rates of interest!?!

Asian officer faces assault claim

Why does the BBC think it's important to report that a Chief Inspector being investigated for assault is Asian!?! It's not relevant!

PS Which community was "reassured" by Ch Insp Sandhu following the 7/7 terrorist attacks for which she was awarded the "Asian Woman of Achievement Award" in 2006!?!

The truth? Who can't handle the truth!?!

Will Gordon Brown deny that his policies mean Britain "faces a collapse in Sterling"!?!

Attacking George Osborne for raising the subject smacks of the worst kind of partisan politics!

If a bipartisan approach is required given the serious financial crisis facing Britain, should another "National Government" be created!?!

"The political crisis generated much concern and the leaders of both the Conservative and Liberal parties met with King George V and MacDonald, at first to discuss support for the measures to be taken but later to discuss the shape of the next government. On August 24 MacDonald agreed to form a National Government composed of "men from all parties" with the specific aim of balancing the Budget and restoring confidence. The government would then dissolve itself and a general election would be held on party lines."

Tories want to come second?

How many businesses can vote in elections? So why are Tories offering tax cuts for businesses rather than individuals!?!

They seem intent on coming second at the next election!

Seen it all now!

Tories warn over Brown tax cuts

What does George Osborne, the Shadow Chancellor, think about the proposals!?! Is he stuck on board a yacht!?!

The BBC quotes Shadow Defence (!) Secretary Liam Fox whilst Sky news was interviewing Shadow Foreign (!) Secretary William Hague!

Edward Stourton

Does Edward Stourton, the "urbane presenter of the BBC’s flagship radio programme Today", suffer any hostility from his colleagues at the BBC for sending his son, Ivo, to Eton where he was "a close friend of Prince William"!?!

Barracked Obama?

Could a white man with Trevor Phillips' "talent" ever become chairman of the Equality and Human Rights Commission!?!

Legal slap in the face?

Why should anyone be expected to repay their defence costs after conviction when the defence team has failed to get you cleared!?!

Pilots lite!

What's the point of pilot schemes if they omit unpopular elements of the grander plan!?!

Identity cards will be issued free of charge during an evaluation period whilst drivers testing a national road pricing scheme will deduct payments from a "shadow account set up in the driver's name".

Things can only get better?

Whatever happened to the last politician swept to power by offering the electorate hope, change and a new direction!?!

Parallel Politics?

Why is Hazel Blears attacking political bloggers for "fuelling a culture of cynicism about politics" when she acknowledges that politicians frequently live in a parallel universe divorced from "the realities people face"!?!

Black listed?

How up-to-date are Ambulance Service records of 8,500 households with a history of "history of violence against paramedics"? Is it included in the survey when you move house!?!

How many of these households have been prosecuted for said violence!?!

They should also be aware that ambulance crews will only assist if Police are in attendance.

School admissions

Would "school admission problems remain" if pupils were required to sit an exam to determine which secondary school they should attend!?!

Not Proud of Italy!

As the OECD "ranks the Italian secondary education as the 36th in the world, being significantly below the OECD average", why are the brothers and sisters in Italian teaching unions striking to defend a broken education system!?!

Perhaps they are more concerned about losing 130,000 jobs than educating Italy's next generation!

Naturally, the BBC omits this!

Health fascism!

When will companies become liable to charges of failing to look after the health and safety of their employees by providing vending machines selling chocolate and soft drinks!?!

Health fascists are on the march!

Child Maintenance Enforcement Commission

How many of the staff, properties and IT systems are simply being transferred to the new Child Maintenance Enforcement Commission from the old Child Support Agency!?!

Can we assume some staff can look forward to pay rises in their new roles!?!

Silence of the Lammys!

When David Lammy wonders why there are still "too few black students studying for a degree in England", does he blame a lack of scholarships to former grammar schools that have retained a degree of academic excellence!?!

"He won an Inner London Education Authority choral scholarship to The King's School, Peterborough."

Patient Satisfaction Scores

Would NHS patient feedback schemes be required if funding followed the patient and poor quality hospitals were allowed to fail!?!

Borrow today, borrow even more tomorrow?

How many bankrupts spend their way out of bankruptcy!?!

Sterling work?

Would sterling have suffered it's biggest devaluation in 41 years if Gordon Brown's economic policies had been more prudent!?!

PS Why has the BBC overlooked the devaluation? Is it inconsistent with it's view of a global financial crisis!?!

Post off!

How many HMRC offices don't have letterboxes!?! Is this a new HMRC security feature to prevent CDs getting lost in the post!?!

"HMRC warned taxpayers not to rely on this leeway, as some of its offices do not have letterboxes."

In a spin!

How can Gordon Brown have the gall to defend "record levels of Government borrowing"!?!

It suggests control when public finances are really spinning out of control!

PS If increased spending will bring the UK out of recession, is it better to reduce taxes so that UK consumers can decide how they spend the windfall rather than the Government!?!

Number Crunching

80% - Government target for reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

79% - Increase in Government use of private charter jets this year.

Come on down!

How reliable are house price indices when sales volumes are the lowest in thirty years!?!

Never a lender be!

How many landlords offer their tenants loans to pay the rent!?!

One Hull of an idea!

Why spend £400,000 on a yacht for unemployed youngsters when a few cricket balls are equally effective in curbing bad behaviour!?!

Names

Lap dancing clubs 'no trouble' - Chief Inspector A. Studd

Poor Grammar Schools?

Is anyone surprised that Grammar schools "take relatively fewer bright, poor pupils than schools that do not select by ability" when they tend to be situated in broadly middle class areas!?!

The best way to overcome this would be to create new Grammar schools in the poorest parts of the country.

It would also have the unintended but beneficial consequence of arresting the current decline in social mobility!

Playing the system

Why is Government shocked that dentists are "playing the system" to maximise their profits!?! Officials should assume all people will seek to maximise returns for minimum effort!

How does it differ to MPs "playing the system" to maximise their allowances!?!

Gordon's Economic Mirage?

As Gordon Brown single-handedly saves us from the global financial crisis, does he ever pause to reflect on whether his ten years of "consecutive economic growth" were nothing but a sham!?!

Ice-cold in Councils

Why haven't all County Councils got surplus funds invested in Icelandic banks? Were they nervous about the risks assoicated with the high rates of interest on offer or not aware of the high rates available!?!

Why did Kent County Council need a 3.9% increase in council tax this year when they had £50m tucked away!?!

PS Where are the gunboats!?!

Education - a cut below?

If educational funding per child has doubled since 1997 in real terms and there are an extra 200,000 adults in classrooms, why do Universities need to reduce entry criteria for students from challenging schools whose full potential has not been realised!?!

The Fat of the Land

Should obese people be charged for their treatment on the NHS to encourage them to lose weight!?!

Metropolitan Black Police Association

Does the racist Metropolitan Black Police Association know of any white Police Officers who should have been suspended for inappropriate behaviour!?!

"The MBPA said the current suspensions of Commander Ali Dizaei and Britain's most senior Muslim officer, Assistant Commissioner Tarique Ghaffur, were proof that ethnic minority officers were treated less favourably than white staff."

If anything, I would have expected ethnic minority officers to be given the benefit of the doubt wherever possible to avoid such a rumpus!

Vaccinations

How effective are they!?! Are they worth the risk!?!

Beware October stockmarkets (2)!

Only four days into October and "The UK's top share index chalked up its biggest ever one-day points fall as Chancellor Alistair Darling attempted to reassure financial markets."

Ups and Downs of Politics?

What does Peter Mandelson have on Gordon Brown that means he is welcomed back into the Cabinet with open arms!?!

"The move triggered controversy among MPs not only because Mr Mandelson has twice been forced to resign, but because he and the prime minister are known to have been locked in a long-running feud."

Poisoned Pill Politics?

If a policeman can be "forced to resign" after he was seen wearing a BNP badge when off-duty, why can't a pharmacist be sacked for refusing to help a customer!?!

Income tax savings plans?

Is income tax merely a savings plan for some public sector workers?

Having worked "hard" for twenty five years, former Met. Police Chief Sir Ian Blair is eligible for a tax free pension lump sum payment of £600,000 and £115,000 index linked annual pension!

Tax poverty

How many people are living in tax poverty (defined as those who spend more than 30% of their income on tax) if those living in fuel poverty are defined as those who spend more than 10% of their income on fuel!?!

No mor skool spellin

Ow wil chilldren lern propa spellin wenn they ave no tests!?!

There are no alternatives to learning how to spell, you even need to know how to spell to use a dictionary!

No such thing as a free lunch!

Why spend £40m offering free school meals to Scottish primary children when it only increases the take up of meals by just 21%!?!

53% of parents who were already paying for school dinners!

Miracle at St. Anna

If Italian veterans really want to protest about Spike Lee's latest film, Miracle at St Anna, there's a simple solution, firebomb his home!

Gay cheek!

Are gay people really "net contributors to public services through their taxes, because very few of them have children" when they are more likely to require expensive NHS treatment to fight HIV than the rest of the UK population!?!

Beware October stockmarkets!

Welcome to October, traditionally the most volatile stockmarket month of the year!

Child poverty forever.

How many of the 5.5m children "living in, or on the brink of poverty" have parents who can afford to drink and smoke!?!

Who is responsible for "lifting" Karen Matthews' family out of poverty when she has had seven children by five different fathers?

Government targets for reducing child poverty should focus on discouraging the feckless and work shy from having more and more children rather than paying them more and more.

Policing the Police?

How do Police ensure their vans are not used unofficially!?!

Bradford & Bungley

If the Government wants to protect the taxpayer from the recent nationalisation of Bradford & Bingley, will it let HMRC cross reference it's tax records with Bradford & Bingley's self-certified and buy-to-let mortgages!?!

"Bradford & Bingley was the biggest buy-to-let lender through its subsidiary Mortgage Express."

Millennium Bug 2?

Are fears of total economic collapse following the rejection of a $700bn bail-out package spread by the same people who feared the millennium bug!?!

Chinese walls

Why will it take at least three years for Britain to stop sending aid to China when they can afford to send three astronauts into space for a spacewalk and spend £20bn on the Olympics!?!

When will China start sending aid to Britain!?!

Barber's message

"Today's figures show that unemployment is starting to accelerate and it now looks very likely that total unemployment will reach two million during 2009" - TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber, 17th September 2008.

"It is entirely predictable that some employer groups will say that the minimum wage increase will threaten jobs, yet it has helped millions without significant job losses." - TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber, 28th September 2008.

Are two million unemployed people insignificant!?!

Foreign ID cards

How many foreign nationals will show keep an ID card that says "No public funds" when seeking NHS treatment, council housing, welfare benefits or a National Insurance number!?!

No doubt the contractors delivering ID cards will be doing everything they can to deliver and invoice for as much as possible before Labour are kicked out of office!

"[Home Office Minister Meg Hillier] also said the scheme might be too far advanced for the Tories to "unpick" if they came to power in 2010."

Crime pays

If a benefit cheat is expected to repay the state £10,000 by paying £10 per week for the next twenty years, can I borrow £100,000 from the state on the same terms!?!

Ruth Kelly Resignation

Is Ruth Kelly resigning "to spend more time with her family" or so her son can spend more time at private schools!?!

He would remain at the £15,000-a-year private school for "a couple of years before he begins at a state secondary school".

Good news!

Scrapping prescription charges for English cancer patients will mean they have more money to pay for hospital parking fees unlike cancer patients in Scotland or Wales where parking is free!

Laissez-faire

Would the French Government ever let a British company buy a French energy company!?!

Let them surf!

When people are asked how Labour can help them through the present financial crisis, how many say that "home internet access for all children" is what they need!?!

"Families, who have been identified by local schools as having no access, will be able to apply for vouchers of up to £700 pound so they can get online."

One family that doesn't need internet access, the Matthews...

Captive market!

Prison call costs 'need review'

Gordon the cat!

LONG ago, the mice had a general council to consider what measures they could take to outwit their common enemy, the Cat. Some said this, and some said that; but at last a young mouse got up and said he had a proposal to make, which he thought would meet the case. “You will all agree,” said he, “that our chief danger consists in the sly and treacherous manner in which the enemy approaches us. Now, if we could receive some signal of her approach, we could easily escape from her. I venture, therefore, to propose that a small bell be procured, and attached by a ribbon round the neck of the Cat. By this means we should always know when she was about, and could easily retire while she was in the neighbourhood.

This proposal met with general applause, until an old mouse got up and said: “That is all very well, but who is to bell the Cat?” The mice looked at one another and nobody spoke. Then the old mouse said:

“IT IS EASY TO PROPOSE IMPOSSIBLE REMEDIES.”

Gordon's bonus?

If Gordon Brown's salary was based on "long term performance" rather than "short term deals", how much would he be earning!?!

UK unemployment total rises again

Consumer inflation rises to 4.7%

Northern Rock expands state debt

National minimum unemployment!

As unemployment rises at it's fastest rate since December 1992, is it still prudent to increase the national minimum wage 3.8% from October this year!?!

Of stable doors and bolted horses

Why didn't Gordon Brown "clean up" the financial system when he was Chancellor and the foundations of the credit crunch were being layed!?!

Would Lehmans, HBOS or Northern Rock have welcomed increased regulation five years ago when their business models were so profitable!?!

Number Crunching

42% - The "Falkands Effect" on Mrs. Thatcher's share of the vote in 1983.

52% - The "Gordon Brown Effect" on David Cameron's current popularity!

Night of the long paperclips!

Will reducing the time taken to record a crime increase the number of crimes recorded!?!

Every cloud has a silver lining!

How long did it take the BBC to find a photo of Wall Street traders including an American of African descent!?!

This Septic Isle

"That's incredible. Imagine seven million people all wanting to live together. Yeah, New York must be the friendliest place on earth." - Michael "Crocodile" Dundee.

England 'most crowded [country] in Europe' - BBC News online.

Do we need even more immigration to save us all from the credit crunch!?!

"Gordon Brown has rejected calls for a cap on non-EU immigration, saying it could harm the British economy."

Humble Beginnings?

"Seven female cabinet ministers have talked about their struggles in their twenties, in an interview with a women's magazine. [ ] Company magazine editor Victoria White said it showed that successful women could make it from "humble beginnings".

Ruth Kelly - She was privately educated at Sutton High School. She returned to England where she won a scholarship to the Westminster School to take her A-levels. She went on to Queen's College, Oxford where she read Philosophy, Politics and Economics, graduating in 1989, and then to the London School of Economics gaining an MSc in Economics in 1992.

Tessa Jowell - educated at the independent St Margaret's School for Girls in Aberdeen, the University of Aberdeen, the University of Edinburgh and Goldsmiths College, University of London.

Harriet Harman - educated at the famous independent St Paul's Girls' School and the University of York, where she gained a BA in Politics.

South Africa - The new Zimbabwe

SA court rejects Zuma graft case

"A South African court has ruled that a corruption case against ruling party leader Jacob Zuma cannot go ahead."

Unhealthy tourism?

How many health tourists have sued the NHS for poor quality treatment over the years!?!

Does the NHS ensure that litigants were entitled to free NHS treatment before paying compensation?

New Labour rehashed?

Would it be cheaper to discourage vulnerable families from having more children by cutting benefits rather than expanding state boarding schools to "transform the lives of vulnerable children"!?!

It's ironic that one of Labour's first policies on coming to power in 1997 was to scrap the Assisted Places Scheme that could transform the lives of gifted children!

Expensive headlines

Does Gordon Brown ever feel that even fate is conspiring against him!?!

On the day he announced £1bn of help for the "fuel poor", his headlines were trumped by a power-sharing agreement in Zimbabwe and the Channel Tunnel fire! A very poor return on £1bn...

PS The £1bn isn't even Gordon's to spend, it's our fuel bills that will be increasing! Once again, Gordon has decided that he knows how our money should be spent!

Cooking up waste

How will free cook books for 11-year-olds help "tackle" obesity when it's probable that pupils at greatest risk of obesity are the least likely to be able to read, write or add-up!?!

"As many as 20% of children leave primary school functionally illiterate, Christine Gilbert, the chief inspector of schools, said as she unveiled reforms to the inspection process designed to intensify pressure on the lowest-performing and "coasting" schools which are failing to improve." - The Guardian, May 2008.

P A Consulting

If PA Consulting really signed a contract with Home Office civil servants that meant they could be sacked for poor performance at "no [ ] cost to the taxpayer", they deserve to be sacked!

Is it more likely that Home Secretary Jacqui Smith is being "economical with the truth"!?!

Classless society

Do the poorest members of society care about narrowing the UK's class gap when they can look forward to council tax rebates or free insulation if they wait and do nothing!?!

Migration Advisory Committee

How does a "panel of experts" identify "which sectors of the UK job market are short of workers"!?!

Do they choose the professions that have incurred the highest pay rises in the last five years or use a lottery!?! Pay increases should decline for the chosen ones as the supply of labour increases ceteris paribus.

Mind the social gap!

Why are so few poor people concerned that the "relationship between low qualifications and low income is stronger in the UK than anywhere except the United States."? Would they be more concerned if the welfare state was less generous!?!

Does this prove that the UK is a meritocracy where hard work is rewarded and idleness is punished!?!

Discrimination is good for you!

Who is being discriminated against when you can only win £600,000 compensation for racial discrimination if you are "Muslim and Asian"!?!

Should the payout be used to fund an orphanage in Pakistan or help victims of 7/7!?!

No room at the Inn

Why would hotel management policy "not accept militiary personnel"?

Will the Equality and Human Rights Commission investigate as it's not the first time that soldiers have been discriminated against!?!

Twenty examples of grammar misuse?

20 examples of grammar misuse - BBC news website.

"Always spell out numbers that begin sentences."

"Avoid beginning a sentence with a number that is not written out."

Educational Maintenance Allowance

How do 150,000 teenagers in receipt of the Educational Maintenance Allowance spend their money at weekends!?!

Will town centres be safer this weekend as the payments system has broken down!?!

It's good news for fraudsters though, they will already have identified ways to exploit the failings to their advantage!

Stamping out duty?

What Government help is being offered "to help people through difficult times" who are not buying houses but are merely struggling to make ends meet?

They can console themselves with the knowledge that their taxes will need to increase to fund the cuts in stamp duty!

Recession - the upside?

If a recession will "Increase [ ] public hostility to migrants" and "there is evidence that grievances based on experiencing racism are one of the factors that can lead to people becoming terrorists", will the Home Office seek to reduce the number of immigrants or increase funding of "community cohesion" programmes!?!

Whatever happened to Prudence?

What has prompted Alistair Darling to declare that Britain is facing the "worst economic crisis in sixty years"? Could it be even worse than the early 90s!?!

"We all remember the early 90s. It was Britain's hard working families -the one million who lost jobs in manufacturing, the one million businesses that went under, the million homeowners with negative equity. It was hard working families who paid the price and bore the brunt of economic failure. [ ] Now, the Tories used to say a Labour government meant recession and unemployment but now Mr Portillo is pushing a new argument: to accept there is economic stability and growth but then to say this is nothing to do with the government. " - Gordon Brown. Conference Speech 2000.

Job losses

How many public sector workers fear unemployment in the next year?

Research stabbed in the back!

Why does it take a four year study to discover that "almost 90% of knife killers had previously been known to police" when 75% of young black men are on the Police national DNA database!?!

Road Pricing for Free!

It's bad news for Government and IT outsourcing companies hoping to earn £millions from the introduction of road pricing schemes.

Increases in the fairest and cheapest road pricing scheme possible, petrol and diesel prices, have reduced road congestion as the invisible hand of the free market works it's magic again!

Slave school

Why should it be compulsory for English school children to learn about the slave trade so they understand the American Civil Rights movement rather than learn about the Tudors, the Normans or the Vikings?

Should all English school children learn why a foreign religion, Roman Catholicism, was considered to be such a risk to the crown for so many centuries!?!

Three of a kind?

Isn't it a shame that Assistant Commissioner Tarique Ghaffur isn't a woman or he could have claimed for sexual discrimination as well as race, religion and age!

Only white, Christian males now face discrimination in the workplace as they are the only group who cannot seek compensation when overlooked for promotion!

Gordon "Buffers" Brown?

In the good times, did Gordon Brown ever claim that the UK's growing economy was due to "low commodity prices" and "cheap credit" rather than his own abilities!?!

"The government said the economy was feeling the effects of global pressures such as high commodity prices and the continuing credit squeeze."

Oops, we did it again!

What will happen when the Government loses your biometric data in a couple of years!?!

Should we really be worried that data on 10,000 prolific offenders has been lost? A few sleepless nights might make them feel a little bit more like their victims!

Conservative nannying?

Why are £100 annual fuel bill savings not enough to encourage "poor" people to open bank accounts and pay by direct debit?

Are "New" Conservatives apeing Labour's nannying ways!?!

Gordon's crystal ball

Labour will "go on and win" the next general election but will Gordon!?!

"Look, what the people of Britain are concerned about is what is happening to their gas and electricity bills, what is happening to the oil price and the petrol price at the pumps." - Gordon Brown.

Why is nobody concerned about the amount of taxes they pay!?!

You will appreciate diversity..

If Britons "celebrate diversity", why do summer camps need to be organised for youngsters to "appreciate" diversity!?!

Will the £4.5m cost of this programme be deducted from the economic benefits of immigration!?!

Little terror?

What's the "common cause" that inspired Hammaad Munshi to become the "youngest person to be convicted under the Terrorism Act"?

The BBC doesn't say!

But you promised!

Who could possibly have imagined that the IRA didn't "decommission" all their semtex!?!

Terror tourism?

Should travel restrictions be placed on people convicted of terrorism offences or sex offences?

Postcode education?

If Labour introduced Grammar schools in the most deprived parts of England & Wales, would Oxford University need to "identify the brightest students with the greatest potential to succeed" or would they already have succeeded!?!

Where there's brass, there's muck!

Has Chancellor Alistair Darling inherited Gordon Brown's poor sense of timing as well as judgement?

Since announcing that he would postpone a 2p increase in fuel duty, oil prices have dropped nearly 22%!

Gordon Brown sold half of Britain's gold reserves at the bottom of the market.

Brighter down South?

Are A-level results another reason for northerners to head south en masse!?!

Northern Ireland's exam success

Did Northern Ireland's students "outperform[ ] those elsewhere, as is usual, with 98.2% of entries passing and 35.4% awarded A grades" because they still have Grammar schools!?!

Will they continue to outperform when academic selection is abolished?

Educational success

Annual complaints about A-level grade inflation would be prevented if just the top 5% of students were awarded 'A' grades. Students would be comparable across year groups and businesses would understand when they were employing top students.

The only losers would be the politicians who would be prevented from claiming that educational standards are rising!

Let them eat greens!

"Corner shops in deprived areas of England are to be given money to help boost sales of [beer]. The money is expected to be used to help buy new shelving, chiller cabinets and promotional material to get people eating more healthily."

Will fresh fruit continue to be cheaper at local markets!?!

Northern lights heading south?

Are northern cities "beyond revival" or just the people who live there!?!

Car crime

If drivers are partially responsible when possessions left on display are stolen from vehicles, why doesn't it apply in rape cases!?!

Antiguan murders

Will the introduction of the death penalty for "crimes involving weapons" and "gun traffickers" reduce the number of murders on Antigua?

I bet they do!

Georgian multiculturalism?

Is Gerogia another example of multiculturalism not working!?!

Georgia

If Georgia was a member of NATO, would Britain now be at war with Russia?

Conservatives 2 - Labour 0?

Has a Labour Government ever led the UK out of recession!?!

Brown outs?

Labour would reject "a return to stop-go quick-fix indiscipline of the Tory years" - Gordon Brown, February 2001.

Stamp duty rumours "hit sales"

Gordon Brown plans £150 bonus for parents

Kidney has beens!

If the NHS can afford the "high cost of [HIV] treatment and care" for African immigrants who are "often asylum seekers or refugees", why can't it afford to treat people with advanced kidney cancer?

Cowardly Britons

Secret deal kept British Army out of battle for Basra

Antigua honeymoon shooting: Death penalty fears delayed UK police help.

Stamp Duty cuts?

The possible suspension or deferment of stamp duty can only mean one thing...

Gordon Brown fears that he's about to be made homeless and needs a new home fast! The Prime Minister hates paying taxes as much as the next man so he only ever raises taxes on items that don't affect him directly.

If he could drive, he would have felt the pain of increased fuel duty over the years.
If he owned a car, he would fear increases in Vehicle Excise Duties.
If he had his own pension, he would have felt the impact of his raid on pensions.

For fat's sake!

How many "disadvantaged" parents will understand that their fat children are obese!?!

Benefits of doubt?

Why did it take a tip-off to investigate Dawn Shackleton for benefits fraud when her family already has 230 convictions and has been evicted for rowdy behaviour!?!

Barry George is Innocent (2)

"We're disappointed at today's verdict. But we're especially disappointed for Jill's family and friends." - Scotland Yard commander Simon Foy.

"My sympathy goes out to the family of Jill Dando. This verdict will not bring finality which they must be seeking." - Crown Prosecution Service lawyer Hilary Bradfield.

Where's the sympathy for Barry George and his family having been imprisoned for nine years on circumstantial evidence alone!?!

"Barry George is innocent" - Snafu, 9th June 2008!

Name Crunching!

Missing Lib Dem donor Michael Brown has changed his name and look

Socialite Sandra Boss appeals to Clark Rockefeller for return of her daughter
"Police hunting for Reigh Boss, 7, who is known as Snooks, said they believe Mr Clark, 48, is using a passport with the name Michael Brown"

Good news - Gas prices up!

The benefits of insulating your home or reducing energy consumption have just increased by 35%!

Environmentalists must be delighted!

Capital punishment through the kitchen door?

How can the "fear of serious violence" be used to condone murder? British law is supposedly based upon what's happened in the past, not what could have happened in the future!

Do the three women defending the changes, Harriet Harman, Attorney General Baroness Scotland and Justice Minister Maria Eagle, oppose capital punishment!?!

Money bags?

How will forcing supermarkets to charge for plastic bags over the next couple of months improve the populartity of a failing Government!?!

PS Will the ending of this cross-subsidisation result in lower food prices!?!

Labour's not labouring

Is the best way to slow recent rises in youth unemployment to increase the national minimum wage to make them even less attractive to potential employers!?!

"Under pressure from the unions Labour has agreed to extend the adult minimum wage to 21-year-olds. At the moment the full minimum wage of £5.52 applies only to workers aged 22 and over. Those aged between 18 and 21 get £4.60 and 16 to 18-year-olds get £3.40."

Winters of discontent?

If John Prescott is right (!) in saying that no potential Labour successor has the "right skills" to replace embattled Gordon Brown then Labour will, by definition, be out of power for at least a generation!

PS When Labour recall their record achievements since 1997, why do they never mention immigration!?!

Gordon Brown, all over by Christmas?

SNP stuns Labour in Glasgow East.

Labour could be excused for coming fifth in Henley's by-election last month, it is one of the safest Conservative seats afterall. To lose to the SNP in one of it's own "safest" seats is inexcusable.

The worst fears of many Labour MPs have been confirmed, they need to rid themselves of Gordon Brown quickly if they are to have any chance of retaining their seats and their expense accounts in two years time!

Air screwed!

When will the services of World War 2 RAF Bomber crews be formally recognised with a campaign medal?

Fight the good fight?

How is the Equality and Human Rights Commissioner Trevor Phillips fighting "the class divide" by educating his children privately!?!

It would "mean taking on the wealthy and educated middle class who are adept at playing the system to the advantage of their families" says the £160,000 per year Commissioner!

Good work if you can get it!

A team of accountants researchers were paid to visit "nearly 600 pubs, bars, nightclubs, off-licences and supermarkets in England over a five-day period" and discovered that some people got drunk whilst drinking!

How much did this "research" cost!?!

Saving lives!

If people are more likely to fret about losing £1,000 than gaining £1,000, should medical teams be penalised for every unsuccessful operation they perform rather than every successful one!?!

Transforming lives?

Why has it taken Labour eleven years to introduce welfare reforms that will "transform lives"!?!

Labour's new third way?

Why is the Treasury unable to consider cuts in spending to keep within current fiscal rules!?!

Overall tax revenues can also be increased by cutting taxes to promote growth!

Rent now, pay later!

If the Government really wanted to help first time buyers save up for a home deposit, wouldn't it be cheaper to cut income taxes or ban them from having expensive holidays!?!

Hideously Black?

Should Blacks and Asians be stereotyped as "doctors, lawyers and architects" in Britain's most popular television programmes!?!

Are Equality and Diversity officers "too black"!?!

Credit where it's not due!

If HMRC know that £1.5bn of tax credit payments were lost to " fraud, accidental overclaims and other errors" in 2006/07, why can't they prevent them!?!

Is HMRC more likely to over or under-estimate the amount lost!?!

Congestion is good for you!

Is road congestion the cheapest and best way to increase road safety!?!

Knife welfare

How many of the 110,000 "problem families" with disruptive youngsters to be targeted as part of a crackdown on knife crime rely on benefits!?!

Knife crime will not be curtailed until the welfare state is reformed to reward responsible behaviour and penalise irresponsible behaviour.

Bugs Bunny!

Rabbit contaminated water supply

Knives out?

Will hospital visits to see the victims of knife crime encourage more youths to carry knives to avoid a similar fate!?!

Number Crunching

£1bn - Additional annual revenue raised by changes to Vehicle Excise Duty from 2010.

£1.9bn - Britain's additional annual contribution to the EU from 2010.

EU knows!

Could Britain have avoided European condemnation for breaching Maastricht spending rules if no EU rebate concession had been agreed in 2005!?!

"Young Children and Racial Justice"!

Will nursery children who insist on eating only kosher or halal food be branded racist (!) if they "react negatively to a culinary tradition other than their own"!?!

Who is so worried that toddlers might make racist remarks!?!

Graduate Recruitment

Are employer concerns about poor reading and writing skills evenly distributed between graduates from state or independent schools!?!

"The Association of Graduate Recruiters found 56% of the 200 firms surveyed had concerns about a lack of "hard skills" like literacy and leadership."

Cheesed off with Brown!

Gordon, can I have a tin of baked beans and four slice of toast in two weeks time!?!

PS When will Labour stop raising taxes to in an effort to combat rising living costs!?!

PPS Why are high food prices not enough for Africa to "realise its great potential as a food producer"!?!

Bonus culture

What did senior staff at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport do to earn bonuses averaging £11,000 last year apart from turning up to work!?!

Deputy Mayor Ray Lewis

Were allegations of financial irregularities overlooked when Deputy London Mayor Ray Lewis became a Justice of the Peace as it's more important to have a diverse judiciary!?!

"I'm not a saint". - Ray Lewis.

The Office of Tax Simplification

New Conservative proposals on tax include bureaucrats looking at ways to reduce bureaucracy!

"Read my lips, no new stealth taxes"!?!

Marks & Spendless!

With Marks & Spencer sales slumping 5.3% in just three months, are they strating to regret the introduction of a 5p bag tax!?!

Number crunching

£50,000 - Proposed threshold for protecting bank deposits.
£21,000 - Upper capital limit for free nursing care.

Free market embraces the NHS!?!

If NHS care is universally excellent, why should patient feedback help determine the level of funding for GPs and hospitals!?!

When will schools follow!?!

Terror bail?

Should terror suspects ever be allowed bail!?!

His family discovered a suicide note before he went on the run...

Blears today, gone tomorrow (2)!

Just ask Cabinet Minister Hazel Blears if crime rates have increased under Labour!

Commuting inequalities?

How will Harriet Harman remove one cause of gender pay inequality, men earn more as they are prepared to travel further to work than women!?!

Brown outs!

How can an unpopular and unelected Prime Minister promise that aid is available for Zimbabwe if democracy is restored!?!

"On Saturday, Mr Brown described the decision to press ahead with the election as a "new low" for the Mugabe regime."

Legalising racial discrimination

Why should poor white males struggle to go to University when they will be beaten at job interviews by women or ethnic minorities "to create a more balanced workforce"!?!

Number Crunching

£392m - Cost of failed marketing campaign to promote Universities to poor students.

£400m - Increase in annual grant for students from poorer families.

Stiff the English!

If 170 lives could be saved each year from 2011 when all Scottish men over 65 will be screened for aortic aneurisms, how many lives could be saved if the programme was rolled out in England too!?!

Poor Grammar Schools

Is Gordon Brown "a child of the first great wave of post-war social mobility" because he was selected for a fast track academic education at Kirkcaldy High School!?!

Assuming the "experiment" worked, Gordon Brown is Prime Minister afterall (!), why not offer other children the benefits of academic selection through the creation of new Grammar schools in the most deprived parts of Britain!?!

Yet more council strikes!

"Everything from local government will stop. We are talking about bins, schools, council offices, environmental health inspectors, [council spies, council tax collection, rubbish gestapo !?!] - all those important services that local communities rely on." - Heather Wakefield, Unison's head of local government.

When will public sector workers join their overpaid brethren in the private sector and share in these boardroom pay "bonanzas"!?!

PS If they are so worried about affecting the most vulnerable members of society, why do public sector workers have so many days off work!?!

Gone to the dogs!

If Nick Clegg's a Chihuahua, Gordon Brown's a St. Bernard and David Cameron's a Labrador, who's a little Shitzu!?!

Alistair Darling or George Osborne!?!

Jamal Bakhit

What would make the BBC choose to overlook Jamal Bakhit's nationality when describing the '24 year old homeless man' charged with "murdering a Swedish woman"!?!

He was born in Uganda!

Smokers to be?

How can half of Dundee's smokers afford to smoke when they live in poverty!?! What's gone wrong with their spending priorities!?!

Will the NHS Tayside pay me not to start smoking!?!

Crushing EU expansion?

How many more Irish voters would have said "No" to the Lisbon treaty if they had known that their vote would prevent Turkey from joining the European Union!?!

Why do European heads of state assume that the people they supposedly represent are in favour of further EU expansion!?!

"Without the Treaty of Lisbon there won't be any enlargement." - French President Nicolas Sarkozy.

Taking Liberties!

Is Liberty director Shami Chakrabarti suppressing free speech when she threatens to sue a cabinet minister she accuses of trying to smear her!?!

A plague upon both their houses!

How ironic that whilst UK troops are fighting and dying for "democracy" in Afghanistan and Iraq, the UK ratifies the Lisbon treaty without the promised referendum!

Abu Qatada

Is Jordan a safer place to live than the UK as it's use of torture to obtain evidence against terrorists prevents them from being deported there!?!

It's ironic that a man with such hatred of the West is allowed to remain in the West for his own protection!

Blears today, gone tomorrow!

Would disciplinary action have been taken against civil servants sending data to Hazel Blears "in breach of data security rules" if her laptop had not been stolen!?!

PS Will this wipe the incessant smile off her face!?!

Return of Mental Arithmetic!

Why will it take 10 years and £187m to train "specialists" to teach basic mathematics to schoolchildren!?!

"The aim is to counter the prevailing culture in which, Sir Peter says, the UK remains one of the few advanced nations where it is socially acceptable - even fashionable - to profess an inability to cope with mathematics."

"I did maths at school and for one year at university but I don't think I was ever very good at it - and some people would say it shows." - Gordon Brown, 24th April 2007.

Floating voters!

If Scottish drinkers should not be trusted to drink alcohol responsibly until they are 21, can they be trusted to vote responsibly when they are just 16!?!

Of Rape and Referenda!

When a woman says no, she means no.

When an electorate says no, it means yes!

Bankrupt Labour!

Can the near bankrupt Labour party afford to contest the by-election in Haltemprice and Howden following the resignation of David Davis MP!?!

"A by-election is not necessary and it is irresponsible to be calling a by-election when it is unnecessary." - Labour's deputy leader, Harriet Harman

David Davis Resignation

Does David Davis MP qualify for a £30,000 tax-free resettlement grant for resigning as an MP!?!

Money, money, money!

Would the EU still need to take action over Britain's budget deficit if Government spending had "more foresight, better business planning and some common sense"!?!

"The Home Office has been criticised by a group of MPs for spending £29m on an asylum accommodation centre which was never even built."

"The Ministry of Defence has been accused of a "gold standard cock-up" over eight helicopters which have cost £422m but have yet to fly for the RAF."

BBC Wales, Scotland and little England!

Why assume that 51m English people want to know what 5m Scots or 3m Welsh people are getting up to on the BBC news each day?

Do people living in Dover and Folkstone need more BBC news coverage about what's happening in France!?!

I'm quite happy for Wales and Scotland to be "far off countries of which I know little" to paraphrase Chamberlain as it only makes me angry to know how my taxes are spent on luxuries denied to me in England!

Protecting the Economy!

When will Gordon Brown be locked up without trial for 42 days for the sake of the economy!?!

The Benefits of Obesity?

How many benefit fraudsters avoid being caught as they are too lazy to play bowls, referee football matches or do martial arts!?!

There's an obesity crisis don't ya know!

Labour's Poverty of Thought!

300,000 more pensioners are in poverty than 1998, so what!?!

At least they can swim for free!

Stampless duty!

How will the Government replace the lost revenue from the ultimate tax on mobility and self-improvement, stamp duty, as house sales fall to a 30 year low!?!

Barry George is innocent!

How could a "loner" with an "exaggerated interest in women", "complex medical problems" and a "personality disorder" murder Jill Dando and leave no forensic evidence whatsoever!?!

Jill Dando was undoubtedly a "kind and generous" woman and Barry George is undoubtedly odd, however, that's not sufficient to convict someone of murder!

Police trawls?

What is the legal authority for letting Police trawl private property?

"The Met Police believe criminals used the centres in Park Lane, Hampstead and Edgware to store criminal assets. Armed police continue to guard the buildings as specialist officers search the 7,000 safety deposit boxes."

Demonising punishment!

Have the number of crimes committed by children fallen between 2001 and 2006 because the numbers criminalised has increased by 25%!?!

Perhaps the increased risk of being caught and punished is a deterrent!

Number Crunching

638 - English secondary schools failing to reach minimum GCSE standards.

46 - Teachers sacked for failing to reach minimum teaching standards in England since 2001.

Free swimming

How will swimming pools ration limited space when they will soon be free to all!?!

Will there be swimming pool waiting lists or will appointments be required 48 hours in advance!?!

PS How many new swimmers will take up the sport or is it just a subsidy to existing swimmers!?!

Giles Chichester

Had anyone ever heard of MEP Giles Chichester, leader of the Conservative MEPS, before stepping down after breaking expenses rules!?!

No wonder it's currently the top BBC Politics news story!

Teflon Tony & Brillo Pad Brown!

If Tony Blair claims that Gordon Brown "is not to blame for Britain's economic woes", was Gordon Brown wrong to claim credit when Britain's economy was doing well!?!

Not cutting it?

What short-term, headline grabbing measures will be introduced by Gordon Brown to cut knive crime!?!

Is it politically incorrect to notice that nearly all of London's knive victims in 2008 are young, black boys!?!

How will additional prosecutions reduce the percentage of blacks arrested or in prison!?!

New MP Starter Pack!

Congratulations to Edward Timpson MP on finally arriving at the House of Commons, please finds enclosed a link to the John Lewis website.

Everything is on the house!

How to save the BBC £1m?

Would Jonathan Ross have worked less hard if he was only earning £17m over three years at the BBC!?!

How ironic that a left-wing organisation sees nothing wrong with wealth re-distribution from the poorest TV licence payers to millionaire entertainers!

Religious leaflets

Would Muslims leafleting an area 'where many Christians live' ever be advised by Police to leave the area saying "If you come back here and get beat up, well you have been warned."

It's far more likely that Police would provide additional protection so they could carry on their lawful business!

PS Does Naved Siddiqi, of the Islamic Society of Britain, consider East Birmingham to be one of the "No-Go areas" that the Bishop of Rochester, the Right Reverend Dr Michael Nazir-Ali, referred to earlier this year!?!

Smoking policy stinks!

If Government is determined to stop under-age smoking, why not fine the parents of those caught smoking rather than ban cigarette vending machines, packets of 10 and, unbelievably, branding and logos!?!

Police targets

Is is easier for Police to fine insured and licensed middle-class drivers or track down and prosecute uninsured or unlicensed drivers!?!

Infamy, Infamy!

Will a new Government campaign against knife crime reduce the chances that Gordon Brown will be stabbed in the back by worried Labour backbenchers!?!

Soft capital punishment?

If the courts believe that some people "deserve" to die because they are abusive or racist, why doesn't it apply to those convicted of murder or rape!?!

"A former hospital cook who baked a fruitcake laced with rat poison for her husband has been given a 12-month suspended prison sentence. "

"A Muslim elder who stabbed his neighbour in the back was dramatically cleared of murder yesterday after a court was told that he had endured a living hell of racism, threats and violence."

"Brown to meet oil industry chiefs"

"Please, please, please, increase the oil supply so that drivers don't notice my October tax increase, please, please, please"

PS If Gordon Brown has any 'green' credentials, he would welcome recent oil price increases as it encourage people to use fuel more efficiently!

Carbon Allowance

Would a personal carbon allowance include cremation!?!

Every little hurts!

How will MPs keep site of "the environment agenda" when they might award themselves an automatic tax free lump sum of £23,000 a year for second homes!?!

Lesser mortals will be expected to pay for increased fuel costs out of their existing taxed incomes!

Inconvenient Truth?

Did the BBC initially suspect that Amar Aslam was murdered by a group of white thugs in a "sustained and brutal" racist attack in Dewsbury and expect events to justify their suspicions!?!

"I can now confirm that the three men who are in custody are actually all Asian, which means that the race motive so far, perhaps, is not one that might be the cause of the death." - Dewsbury MP Shahid Malik - Version 15 of the BBC's report.

Knives out

Would banning the open display of knives for sale in shops prevent knife crime in the UK!?!

If England's first Children's Commissioner is worried that additional stop-and-searches could antagonize the young, when will unelected officials fret that speed cameras might antagonize drivers!?!

"Another aggravating feature is, what arrogance. The arrogance exemplified by your hand gestures [ V-signs] to the camera as you sped past it." - Judge Barbara Mensah

Dead Man Walking

"So what's it like to be stabbed in the back by your party!?!"

Tax credit income disregard!?!

How has HMRC managed to save the taxpayer £700m by reducing tax credit overpayments last year?

Simple, by increasing the so-called "tax credit income disregard" from £2,500 to £25,000 before an overpayment is recognised!

Toughly, toughly approach!

Did the reputation of Russia's Police and prisons ensure that neither Manchester United or Chelsea fans misbehaved in Moscow last night?

By contrast, "a decade-long government drive to cut youth offending has had "no measurable impact" in the UK!

Orwellian Doctrine?

What are the chances that MPs (and their families) would be exempt from a proposed new database that would contain details of every phone call and email sent in the UK!?!

"MPs are not supposed to be bugged, according to the so-called "Wilson doctrine"."

Agency workers

"Agency workers will be given the same employment rights as permanent staff after 12 weeks under proposals agreed between the government and unions."

How many of the UK's 1.4m agency workers asked to be represented by the trades unions!?!

Will most agency workers now be forced to leave their placing during their eleventh working week!?!

What's the trades unions real motive for protecting workers rights!?!

Education standards

Will education standards improve simply by raising pay levels or by sacking useless teachers and replacing them!?!

"20% of pupils go from primary to secondary not fully functional in literacy and numeracy" - Ofsted chief Christine Gilbert.

Schools should be able to determine their own pay rates for teachers. Private companies do!

The only way to identify when state education standards are genuinely improving will be when the number of pupils attending private schools shows a steady decline over time!

Making work pay?

How many new jobs would be created if incapacity benefits were reduced to the national minimum wage?

"Of the minority who said they would like a job, about a third of men and one in six women said they would need at least £300 a week after tax to make it worthwhile coming off benefits and going in to work."

Employers of unskilled labour are being priced out of the labour market as they cannot compete with the benefits available to unskilled labour!

Great leaders on adversity

"I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears and sweat." - Winston Churchill.

"I have nothing to offer but taxes, taxes, taxes and taxes." - Gordon Brown perhaps!

PS When will Gordon Brown let the people decide if he's the best person to "steer the economy through difficult times"!?!

Listen and lead?

How many of the voters in the Crewe and Nantwich by-election are demanding reforms to the House of Lords as proposed in the next Queen's Speech!?!

It's barely a couple of days since Gordon Brown had said he would "listen and lead" the British public!

Number crunching

£6.5bn: Revenue raised from residential Stamp Duty last year.

£100m: Government help offered to first time buyers in the next Queen's speech.

PS Is it appropriate for the Government to encourage first time buyers when house prices are starting to fall!?!