It seemed like a good idea: some fresh asparagus on a summer weekend. Yet when upon starting to unpack the veg, it turned out we had overlooked the fact that it had been imported from Peru. Why, oh why, do we need to import asparagus from Peru when it will...
1997 marked the high point. Labour’s brand was strong, the message right for the times. The Mandelson-inspired red square, new Labour, new Britain marked a decisive step forward in UK political marketing – Labour had developed its brand (left image). Things had to become a little more sober from then...
So it’s almost decision time. Ballot papers for the Deputy Leadership are being sent out and all members should get them by the end of the week. It’s with some mixed feelings that this decision time approaches – the Deputy Leadership election has been the catalyst for some decent debate...
Every London cyclist must have experienced it. The revving of a small commercial vehicle engine behind you and – whooosh – a red Royal Mail LDV van powers past. Like more passionate versions of White Van Man, Royal Mail drivers also seem to like to wrap their vans around lamp...
I was pleased to read yesterday that John McDonnell will be the challenger from the left of the Labour Party, facing Gordon Brown. John has conducted his campaign with a solid and gentlemanly approach, far different to Michael Meacher who always just struck me as a bit of a prat....
Red tape, regulation, burdens on British business. The number of times we hear that in the British press when complaints are made about Brussels. I was hence dumbstruck today when the tables have been turned and the reaction is still negative. See this from the Birmingham Post for example, and...
Right, so that’s it then. Blair’s time is over. There was plenty of sancimonious stuff in his resignation speech, and religious references too. All a bit sick-inducing. But the really excellent bit was this: “There is only one government since 1945 that can say all of the following: more jobs,...
Yesterday’s Scottish elections have been criticised due to a large number of spoilt ballot papers, presumably because people did not understand the voting system in use in the 2 different elections taking place. Single Transferable Vote (STV) where you mark numbered preferences was used for the council elections and the...
A great British institution – the beach hut. At Southwold in Suffolk there are plenty of them, in many bright colours. It was a pleasure to spend a weekend pottering around the Suffolk countryside, a welcome break from London.
I must look like just the sort of person who would give money to charity – people accost me in the street all the time. I do give a lot of money to charitable causes, but, so the argument goes, giving to a half-dozen organisations already does not preclude giving...
I received an e-mail yesterday from a Slovene friend based in Brussels, wondering why he had suddenly started to receive campaign updates from Labour Deputy Leadership candidate Jon Cruddas. The e-mail address now on Cruddas’s list was subscribed to no other centre-left UK politics list other than the Compass Newsletter....
The Met yesterday announced that crime in London was at an 8 year low, with murders down 3.6%, gun/knife crimes down 11.3%, sex attacks down 9.6% and burglary down 6.6%. The news story from BBC is here. I however had the misfortune to see BBC London News at 22.30 last...