Were Hazel Blears departing words to those constitutents who attacked her car while she was out canvassing something along the lines of: “I’ll put you down as doubful, then”?
Archive for August, 2009
By Tribune Web Editor /Wednesday, August 19th, 2009
The exodus of MPs leaving the sinking ship continues less of a pace and more of a blind panic. Party officials have confirmed this column’s prediction of some weeks ago that the summer recess will see more than 50 vacancies arising in Labour seats. But it gets worse. According to party insiders, up to 120 [...]
By Tribune Web Editor /Tuesday, August 18th, 2009
As thousands of homeowners with mortgages held by banks the taxpayer owns face repossession and hopeful homeowners are refused cash by the same banks, a scam from the ranks of City bonuses emerges. Professional footballers and other wealthy customers are being offered secret, preferential mortgage deals by the Royal Bank of Scotland. About £2 billion [...]
By Tribune Web Editor /Monday, August 17th, 2009
Having survived decades of economic blockade, Cuba is finally in deep do-do. It has announced that the island-based factory which produces lavatory paper cannot guarantee deliveries after the end of the year. Bland economic excuses have been proffered. Could the real reason be the diversion of paper resources to publication of Fidel Castro’s own “Little [...]
True transformation requires independent intervention
By Tribune Web Editor /Monday, August 17th, 2009Let’s hope self-serving sycophants are replaced with free thinkers at the next election, says Paul Donovan
How Italy fell for Berlusconi
By Tribune Web Editor /Monday, August 17th, 2009Stefano Fella and Carlo Ruzza examine why the increasingly controversial Italian leader remains so popular in his country
By Tribune Web Editor /Sunday, August 16th, 2009
They said it would never happen when the DNA database was being proposed and set up. There would never be a disproportionate number of black suspect profiles to whites on the base. Why would there be? That would imply that proportionately more blacks were being picked up and that would never happen. Well, it has. [...]
Jill Palmer: How much assistance is a flu helpline?
By Tribune Web Editor /Sunday, August 16th, 2009It is less than a month since the Government launched the National Pandemic Flu Service and already it is the victim of criticism and complaint. These range from it being too easy to mislead call handlers and obtain anti-viral medicines whether you need them or not, to doctors claiming operators are advising low-risk groups to have treatment, contradicting the advice given to GPs. Medics are even more concerned that other serious conditions are being missed.
Paul Routledge: Lobbyists’ ‘inception’ is far from immaculate
By Tribune Web Editor /Sunday, August 16th, 2009Sometimes, if you don’t keep a sharp lookout, these things just pass you by. I hadn’t noticed that a new verb – “to incept” – had crept into the language. If it means anything, which is doubtful, I suppose it means originating something. It doesn’t appear in any dictionary of mine, and until it does I shall treat it as a non-word.
Bryan Rostron: Fraternal fight over South Africa’s future
By Tribune Web Editor /Sunday, August 16th, 2009Younger brothers play a large role in the demonology of a friend who has investigated some of the world’s biggest frauds. When a possible suspect emerges, he says, his first question is always: is this person the youngest in their family?