Paul Flynn - Read My Day

Thanks, Argus

Sensitivity
After a few brickbats, the Argus deserves a pat on the back.

The paper has behaved with sensitivity and restraint in dealing with the dreadful five death motorway crash. One politicians who sought to make political capital out of it was ignored. The funerals of the victims have not been completed. It would have have been easy to opt for the screaming headline.

There must be local debate on how future tragedies should be avoided. But now  period of silence is merciful to the families.

Well done, Argus.

Brain strain
Not another post mortem on the Welsh Labour Assembly result?

Why do no other parties find a deep need to parade their real and imagined weaknesses in this way? Labour did win that election. 26 out of 60 seat was great in the circumstances of rock bottom polls. We now have one big  task that we have never had before. We must make the a coalition work for the people of Wales. That will be novel work that will strain our brain cells.

Some have additional brain power. Good people are looking at new answers for 2011 including Sue Essex and Eluned Morgan. Today's list of remedies is not very exciting. Certainly we have neglected the  Cymry Cymraeg for 30 years. But please not another big conversation, or Labour listens. I'm puzzled to see the threat to hold money from constituencies that do not knock up or canvass. What money? The process seems to be the other way.

I will patiently look  forward to reading the full document. (He lied).

Loss
Jon Styler is dead. I interviewed him in 1972 when he was applying for the headship of Malpas Church in Wales School. He was a very talented and polished 30 year old teacher. It was bold decision to give him the headship at such an early age.

He had a long and brilliant career as a teacher and a teacher composer. He added joy and lustre to many lives. Now he has taken his life at the age of 65. The report said that he faced a charge for an offence alleged 27 years.   He strenuously denied any guilt.

There are many hundreds of past pupils and his many friends who will be greatly saddened by his passing

Bludgeoned
Along with many others, I have received the following message. Sadly it has the ring of truth and I have been asked to pass it on.

Subject:* bludgeoning monks by the 'lone-tein'

    We just got phone call with our sister living in Yangon about a few hours ago. We saw on BBC world, saying that 200 monks were arrested. The true picture is far worse!!!!!!!!! For one instance, the monastery at an obscure neighborhood of Yangon, called Ngwe Kyar Yan (on Wei-za-yan-tar Road, Yangon) had been raided early this morning.

    A troop of lone-tein (riot police comprised of paid thugs) protected by military trucks, raided the monastery with 200 studying monks. They systematically ordered all the monks to line up and banged and crushed each one's head against the brick wall of the monastery. One by one, the peaceful, non resisting monks, fell to the ground, screaming in pain. Then, they tore off the red robes and threw them all in the military trucks (like rice bags) and took the bodies away.The head monk of the monastery, was tied up in the middle of the monastery, tortured , bludgeoned, and later died the same day, today. Tens of thousands of people gathered outside the monastery, warded off by troops with bayoneted rifles, unable to help their helpless monks being slaughtered inside the monastery. Their every try to forge ahead was met with the bayonets. When all is done, only 10 out of 200 remained alive, hiding in the monastery. Blood stained everywhere on the walls and floors of the monastery. Please tell your audience of the full extent of the fate of the monks please please !!!!!!!!!!!! 'Arrested' is not enough expression. They have been bludgeoned to death !!!!!! Aye Aye .

Pinnacles of delusion

Rant

Defence secretary Des Browne scaled the pinnacles of delusion with  his Conference speech.

Today we are told, British troops may have to recapture some of the ground lost. Helmand cost 70  British lives to win. Not since the first World War have British troops been sacrificed in such numbers  in the ebb and flow of futile slaughter. The risk to our soldiers is the greatest since then.

To Des  Browne, global warming, disease, starvation are minor world problems. To his hyperbole, "Afghanistan is the noble cause of the 21st century." For some other vain glorious romantics, it was for the nineteenth and eighteenth centuries too.

His selective view of history is that " For decades, this proud nation was neglected by the international community." Start again Des. Afghanistan has been repeatedly invaded by other countries - included by us, three times. Concentrated neglect might have helped them.

He goes on. "But Afghanistan is no longer ignored. Afghans themselves can see a window of opportunity; to be free from occupation; free from warlords; free from the Taliban, and no longer a haven for terrorists."

Why not add eternal life to the wish list? It's as practical as all the others. No mention of 'freedom from corruption' which another Minister is promising.

Occupiers, Warlords, Taliban, terrorists El-Quaida are all lumped together as bad things. One big simple problems to be defeated with a bit more effort.

Most  Afghans  see us and the Americans as alien occupiers. The Karzai Government is riddled with warlords and controlled by their tentacles. The Taliban continues to grow in strength with every bomb and bullet we use to win hearts and minds. El-Quaida still remain beyond the reach of our guns and bribes. There was only one passing reference to the 60% increase in drugs production. Des said we should get the Afghans to control it. How?

His predecessor spoke of his hope  of a 'three year Helmand campaign without a shot being fired'. Des Browne's Bournemouth rant will also return to mock him.

Kindly meant
There are sixty videos on my websites. Some are also on Google and You Tube. On Youtube we has a record of the numbers viewing them.

It's fascinating.  The funny one is top with the scary one (to me) second. There is a kick in the tail of the Bettws film is because I tried to be kind and obscure the little problem.

Great to see that local group New State Radio is winning friends. They did a great gig at the Meze is Newport last night. They dedicated the night to the monks in Burma.

My fondest memories are filming May Mendleson and Alun Menai Williams. Any suggestions for new films?

Top 10 videos on Youtube (27th September 2007)

Corpsing in the Commons – 1,527

Fear on the Autoroute – 1,100

Bettws, Newport Lantern Festival – 641

Duffryn Infants School Newport - 615

Newport Wales Personality - 409

New State Radio – Newport – 328

May Mendleson 105 - 203

New Quilt for Malpas - 164

Heart of a lion-sensitivity of a poet - 116

Transporter Bridge 100 years – 104

Mighty Dale
The now vaulting Colossus of the Blogosphere, he once warned me off the Internet.

For sensible commercial reasons, Iain Dale once thought it was mad to publish a book on the net before it was printed. Times were rushed.  I was on an urgent mission to Blair. The message was -Don't wreck the London Labour election in the same sway you wrecked Rhodri Morgan's election in Wales. It was too late. He did.

Now I am being led into the blossoming delights of the Blogosphere as an ingenue. Iain Dale reminded me in a kind comment last night about our joint Labour-Tory venture of Dragons led by Poodles.

It was written very quickly and  published instantly.  A precursor to a blog. Things can only get better.

Panic picture

This afternoon's hysteria about James Purnell's picture forces a correction. I must confess that the picture in yesterday's blog of Anne Widdecombe had been doctored. She does NOT have three heads.

James Purnell is under the lash because someone added him to a picture when he arrived too late for the posed one. If his career falters for this, this will be worst career injustice since  PPS Hartley Booth resigned for having coitus non-startus with his researcher. Or as the Tories called it Hartley's  seedless jam.

November 8th

Certain?

Ten days ago I suggested the 28th of October or the 8th of November for the General Election. It's now the 8th.

Gordon still has probably not decided but he  is becoming trapped into a corner where his silence leaves him little choice. Parliament will resume the week after next. Enough time for a few big speeches, especially one on Iraq , then the 'wash-up' of legislation outstanding and then off to the campaign. It will give us all the ample time of three weeks.

The only obstacle that can stop Gordon now would be a catastrophic collapse of  Labour's poll ratings during the Tory conference next week. They will gain a few points but not enough to make a serious threat. The only cloud on Gordon's horizon is the voters known hostility to being called out for an election unnecessarily. They usually punish the party responsible.

The calculation has to be made on how comfortable is Labour's lead. It's looks solid enough now. Nail-biting time at Number 10.

Rubble
There will be  fresh fizz to the Chartist celebrations in Newport this year.

The threat to demolish the well loved mosaic has galvanised local anger and pride. Sadly it cannot be saved in its present form. The son of the artist who created the work 30 years go told me his father insisted on it being vandal-proof. That also meant removal-proof. An attempt to take away a test piece failed and ended up with a  bucket full of rubble.

But the original drawings exists and it can be rebuilt. There are good options. The  concern has inspired the creation of a new local campaign group named Accent Newport Trust.

They have organised a full anniversary  event for November 3rd starting at 10.30 at St Mary's Institute Stow Hill - the place where they hope to establish a Chartist Heritage Centre.

It's a great story. George Shell, a 17-year-old cabinetmaker, wrote a letter to his mother the night of November 3rd saying, “If I die tomorrow, I do so in a noble cause.” He was killed inside the Westgate Hotel. The twenty martyred Chartists were buried in unmarked graves in the Cathedral Cemetery. A year later their relatives used the cloak of night to secretly visit their graves and lay tributes of laurel leaves. That tradition was revived 16 years ago. Newportians on the afternoon of November 4th  will gather  4.300 pm in the cemetery to honour the sacrifice of our forebears.

See you there.

Candlelight Blog
Iain Dale has knocked out a cracking read in his 'Guide to Political Blogging. He writes "Blogging used to be the equivalent of the strange person at the back of the branch meeting who was very passionate about something, but no one else could work out what or why"

Now Dale has amassed 500 of Britain's best Blogs.  I am very flattered to be included at number 96. My blog has been going only since April and is in the 'new' category. Even more encouraging, someone has put it at  number 13 in the Labour list, at 5 in the Welsh top 20 and
4 in the best MPs. The competition is not as hot here.

One sage piece of advice about not blogging late at night. It happened to Recess Monkey. He announced the demise of Mrs Thatcher. He still wins the prize for number one Labour blogger.

In addition to the list there are brief punchy articles including one by Allt-yr-yn's Jon Worth. He was secretary of allt-yr-yn labour party 10 years ago. He's is not a Eurocrat and Uber-blogger. Well worthing seeing.

Craic
There are signs that one opposition party is starting to campaign tomorrow. Welcome to Newport west. They have a lot of catching up to do.

My programme of work is full for the next two weeks with constituency chores  and other work. Three weeks is ample for a short sharp campaign. This will be my sixth General Election campaign. Few of them have made great differences.

Since the seat was formed here in Newport West in 1983 the majorities have swung from a Tory one of 500 to a Labour one of 14,000 and then to 6,000. The same job can be done with a majority of one as with one of 30,000.

Candidates tend to exaggerate the values of our campaigns. The results of  most elections can be accurately forecast on the first day. I As always, I will work around the clock and have a great romp of a campaign. Our plan will be, of course, call on thousands of doors and meet the constituency again.  They are nearly all good friends so the craic is great.

My first campaign in 1987 was breathlessly exciting. It was a Tory seat with a tiny majority. Labour were not doing well in the polls  and the - now Labour -Tory candidate was popular. It could have gone either way.

This time the excitement will be the same with the prospect of remarkable fourth term of a Labour Government beckoning. Don't disappointment us with the date, Gordon. I've started to rearrange my diary for November.

Blairism error

Inciting hatred
There is a refreshing breeze of change in British foreign policy. Today also saw a  welcome flurry of anxiety and activity urging MPs help Burma.

A triumph for blogging, e-mails and videos have relayed the raw courage of the monks and nuns to our homes. Eastern Europe’s closed society was opened by the penetration of satellite television. With the exception of North Korea, all other countries are now visible and their excesses are exposed.

The new Foreign Secretary delivered his speech awkwardly but he crucially denied the major Blair myth on Iraq. Our intervention has antagonised Muslim opinion world wide. Blair has passionately denied this.

In March 2003 I wrote to Tony Blair.

“Pre-emptive attack of the kind we have on Iraq will only deepen the sense of grievance among Muslims that the Western/Christian/Jewish world is out to oppress them. This will provide a propaganda victory to Osama Bin Laden and can only increase his support and the likelihood of more acts of terrorism.”

Miliband came close to admitting as much.  We can look forward to the first intelligent policies from a Foreign Secretary that we have had since Robin Cook did the job.

We are hampered on our ability to intervene by our support of Bush’s war in Iraq. Much of our worlds moral authority has been eroded. Like all other MPs, I urge the Government to use our diplomatic pressure on China and Burma.

Neil right

The Cardiff ASW pensioners are not helping their case by attacking politicians. Neil Kinnock was so angered by what one one them said about that he turned up courageously to confront him at today's beach demo.  ‘Bugger off’ was the best that one of then came to presenting a well argued case.

Another protester outside parliament a few weeks ago had a sign saying ‘Gordon Brown stole my pension.’  Both claims are outrageously untrue.

The ASW and other pensions collapsed because their firms and their trustees let them down. We are all sympathetic. Blame has been put on the Government for encouraging faith in occupational pensions in the late nineties. They did. But so did everyone else. Firm’s pension were a far better bet than the alternative dodgy personal pensions.

Since then Government has put £8billion of taxpayers’ aside that will pay between 65% and 80% of the lost pensions. Not good enough,  but it’s better than the original prospect. Blaming the Government is nonsense. The great majority of the pensioners had joined their fund decades before this Government advice was published.

Along with two other Welsh MPs, I serve on the select Committee that favourably adjudicated on the Ombudsman’s report. Teaming up with opportunistic Tories and vastly overstating their case will  not help their case now.

Supercare cost
The Lords Science Committee was persuasive today when it suggested that our neurotic avoidance of nuts at an early age could be the source of Britain’s record allergy.

Yes, there may be other new threats in modern life. But avoiding contact with life’s hazards probably does leaves our bodies more vulnerable to attack later in life. There seems no other explanation for the difference between the rates here that are higher than other countries.

Sadly the story flagged towards the end of the day, when it deteriorated into another dreary plea for more medicalisation as the only cure. Common sense has worked better for our past almost allergy-free history.

Eternal, British and clean

Right renewable
Today's promise of a feasibility study into the Severn Barrage is welcomed - cautiously. We had one in 1978. It was enthusiastic but no-one had vested interests in making money out of this most promising renewable.

There is a giant rich lobby out to cash in on nuclear power. They fell for the propaganda in Finland but are now having second thoughts. Their French  designed station is two years late and vastly over budget. Security is a growing nightmare - especially the terrorist threat.

Tidal power has vast potential in many forms - mills, lagoons and barrages. The power source is abundant in around the Welsh coast and and especially in the Bristol Channel. It’s clean, non-polluting, British and eternal.

The Rance Barrage in Brittany has been generating some of the cheapest electricity in the world for 38 years, without missing a single tide. Its equipment is still in pristine condition.

While there are objections to developments on the scale of the Severn Barrage, other small scale mills, lagoons are practical short-term propositions. A chain of these around the Welsh coast could utilise pulses of tidal energy throughout the 24 hours of demand - storing energy at off-peak times by pumping water into storage lakes at the heads of the south Wales valleys. Power could then be generated by allowing the water to flow downstream during times of peak demand.

A barrage of support is essential.

Confo-droop
The Labour conference seems too have imploded. Now that the climax has past, it's just a dribble of B-features.

Happy are we the majority MPs beavering away in our constituencies. We are missing the queues, the endless security checks, the heat, the alcohol, nagging lobbyists, occasional excitement and the relentless tedium.

Journalists are suffering on our behalf and relaying the titbits while we overdose on rugby watching and the joy of productive work. How long can party conferences continue before everyone discovers their abject futility ?

Fact inventors
The Daily  Mail prophesied doom if the longer pub opening hours were introduced.

It has not happened so they invent a few facts.  They scaremonger that there has been a surge in 'drunken attacks.'  Quivering with indignation, they blame the Government for suppressing the figures.

Under Freedom of Information they   discovered the useless information that there has been a rise of 127% in pub violence and crimes. Yes, but only between the hours of 3am and 6am. That's a big percentage of practically nothing.

The most serious violent crime since the reforms were introduced fell by five per cent.  So it's a success. Adding to their calumny, they accuse the government  of suppressing this irrelevant bit of garbage. The decision not to publish these figures was taken by independent statisticians because the change from 3am to 6am was of no significance.

Never mind the facts, let's keep lying to  our stupid readers.

Felled by rumour
It's heart breaking to record the first casualty of the General Election rumour.

Tory MP Peter Luff has announced the postponement for 12 months of what he describes as 'the  most 'glittering occasion of the year.' It's a Circus reception due to be held on 5th November in the Commons. The circus proprietors feel that it's just isn't possible to plan the event with sufficient certainty.

Bear up Peter. Perhaps you can re-use the time doing something useful.

Patriot

MP Paul Murphy told a conference meeting Labour should resist the possibility of "an obsession with identity in Wales". Good thinking from someone who has proved lifelong Spartan resistance to Welsh identity. His singing of Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau is less impressive than John Redwood's.

Welsh alchemy reversed

Alchemy

Welsh Labour, helped by an alternative-Welsh-angle-seeking-press managed to turn gold into dross at the Labour Party Conference.

The most united Labour Conference in living memory was reported as a row by BBC Wales. Not that any division of any substance was revealed on BBC Wales radio this morning. Memo to all parties on Assembly election results. This is what happened. In Wales Labour did dreadfully in the first election compared with England, wonderfully in the second, not as good in the third. UK poll ratings on May 3rd for Labour were rock bottom 28, now in the stratospheric 42. That's it. The rest is trivial. Why wallow in past misery?

Cheer up Comrades. Prepare to meet your voters not your doom.

Forgotten something.....again?

I am extremely reluctant to add to the burden of mail received by my fellow MPs. But today I e-mailed all 650 of them to fill in an omission in a letter we all had. It was not quite what it seems. It was an impassioned  plea to help those who may have paid too much in bank charges. Most MPs are doing that already.

All MPs are sympathetic. Who loves the banks?. But there was catch. The letter was from the Brunel Franklin Company. It was an  attack on the FSA and the Financial Ombudsman.  There is a test case going through the courts at the moment. A comment on the merits of the case would be superfluous now. But it will be an issue later.

What puzzled me was why this company were intervening. They failed to mention their own financial interests in  bank charges. When I rang them today the company confirmed to me that they charge their clients £100 plus 10% of any compensation gained. I thought the name of the company rang a bell

Two years ago, another letter from this company provoked this EDM from me.

"That this House resents the Brunel Franklin Company's use of direct e-mailing to honourable Members on endowment mortgage mis-selling which omits the information that Brunel Franklin is an unregulated compensation pursuer that routinely charges its victims 29 per cent of any compensation gained for services described as of a little or no value by the Financial Services Authority and a Government Minister; recalls that advice on claims is available at no cost from Which? and the Financial Services Authority; and welcomes the Government's intention to regulate companies that further impoverish victims of endowment mis-selling."

Things have moved on since then. But it's very questionable behaviour that the company should again try to enlist MPs' support ostensibly in the consumers' interest without pointing out that they would top slice any compensation paid.

I believe millions of people will profit as a result of the test case. Those who do NOT use compensation companies may well be better off - in fact a £100 and 10% of the compensation, better off.

Drugging the kids

American pharmaceutical companies have come up with a new stunt for pushing sales.

FEW children relish the start of a new school year. Most  greet the onset of classes with groans or even dread. But among those who take the longest to adapt and thrive, US psychiatrists say, are children trapped in a pathological condition. They have labelled them as sufferers  from "social anxiety disorder" - an affliction of children and adolescents that, the clinicians argue, is spreading.

Ordinary shyness now assumes the dimension of a mental disease. If a youngster is reserved, the odds are high that a psychiatrist will diagnose social anxiety disorder and recommend treatment.

Shyness is so common among American children that 42 percent exhibit it. And, according to one major study, the trait increases with age. By the time they reach college, up to 51 percent of men and 43 percent of women describe themselves as shy or introverted. Among graduate students, half of men and 48 percent of women do. Psychiatrists say that at least one in eight of these people needs medical attention.

It's about we had a pill for mad psychiatrist syndrome.

Best Blogs
Published today is   The GUIDE TO POLITICAL BLOGGING 2007  written by-ace blogger and Tory anti-Cameronian Iain Dale. ( Iain denies this - see  comment) Featured among the 288 pages are a myriad of blog lists. One is Dales's choice of  the TOP THIRTY MPs' BLOGS. It's based on popularity, frequency of posting and content. They are

      1 John Redwood MP
      2 Tom Watson MP
      3 Nadine Dorries MP
      4 Paul Flynn MP
      5 Lynne Featherstone MP
      6 Harriet Harman MP
      7 John McDonnell MP
      8 Adam Price MP
      9 Richard Spring MP
      10 David Jones MP
      11 Sadiq Khan MP
      12 Austin Mitchell MP
      13 John Hemming MP
      14 Michael Meacher MP
      15 Ed Vaizey MP
      16 Steve Webb MP
      17 Andy Love MP
      18 Derek Wyatt MP
      19 Adrian Sanders MP
      20 Julie  Morgan MP
      21 Kerry McCarthy MP
      22 Boris Johnson MP
      23 David Davies MP
      24 James Duddridge MP
      25 Theresa May MP
      26 Mark Lazaorowicz MP
      27 David Kidney MP
      28 Ian Cawsey MP
      29 Ming Campbell MP
      30 Pat McFadden MP

Coming fourth is a  welcome accolade. In some ways I could argue that I have been blogging since before the word was invented as my website began in 1999. But my blogging on a daily basis started only in April this year. It's good to know it's been noticed.

Sometimes with difficulty I  have kept it going on a daily basis. This is with the great help of my staff when I have been abroad. It's now become a very enjoyable and worthwhile part of my political life. Blogging is increasingly become a main forum of political debate.

Inside Gordon's mind

Double bliss
This blog's telepathometer have been re-calibrated to reveal today’s thoughts in the mind of Gordon Brown.

'"What a difference a year makes.

John Reid, Peter Mandelson and John Hutton  are elbowing each other aside in their  rush to fall at my feet and abase themselves.  Perhaps I am hallucinating but I seem to recall they were hissing venom in my direction a year ago. One was quoted as saying that I would be a "f***ing awful PM." Their new sugary sycophancy suggest they've been at a course on sincerity for beginners.

Perhaps later on this week, I will have a quiet moment comparing and contrasting last September's  poison with this September's saccharine.

Andrew Marr was more pussy cat than attack dog in this morning's interview. Did he really think I was going to tell him my thoughts on the election? That would have  destroyed the excitement, the tempo and choreography for the whole conference week. Why couldn't he have worked out that I intend to keep  the hacks drooling for more.

Now we have their attention, we hit them with a policy blitz all week. Next Monday would be a good day to let them know my thoughts. They tell me that's Cameron's serial nightmare.

A month ago, an October general election was only a gleam  in a few wild eyes. Now that I am trying the novelty of asking cabinet members what they think, a surprising number want October. Today, nearly every MP I saw forced their support for a quick poll on me. Only Neil Kinnock disagreed to my face. He knows about winning elections of course.

Andrew Marr cunningly asked me when I first stood for election. My laugh was genuine and the question brought back the sharp pain of losing Edinburgh South in 1979 - thanks to Jim Callaghan's failure to call the election the previous autumn. It's a telling argument for me intellectually and emotionally.

But now I'm  beautifully placed. Between a  soft cushion and another soft cushion. This week I will stoutly proclaim that I am on the job - undistracted by personal ambition for a new victory. Next week, I will make my announcement. The truth is one thing they will not believe. I have not made up my mind. To say that would sound indecisive - not at all prime ministerial.  By Sunday I will know for certain if October is a safe bet. Either way, we win.

Tomorrow's Sun poll gives Labour an extra 3% up to 8%. That makes the poll trend universal. This week is going to be great. Next week should be better. Bliss. "

Ghouls rush in

At one time there was  accepted restraint in not seeking political advantage when  accidental deaths happen- at least until after the funerals have taken place.

Three times in the past 36 hours hours I have been asked to comment on the appalling five deaths on the Newport M4 a week ago. I declined.  One reporter was understandably apologetic. Some ghouls have rushed in to condemn the police chase and to exploit other matters before the full details are known. The Argus to their credit have not printed the stories on their website, although they have them.

There will be ample time for sober reflection  and comment in the future. Until then, a respectful silence for politicians  would be appropriate. One paper published some details and asked  and what effect their publications would have.

"Father Tom Kearney, the priest who will be conducting the funerals of Mr and Mrs Stafford, 69 and 70, on Achill Island, County Mayo, Ireland, said he felt the news would just add to the anguish of their grieving friends and relatives."

Of course. But what's additional anguish compared with a gratifying headline?

Avoid farm 'blues.'

Feared tongue

It was always inevitable, but still creates a shudder of fear now it's here.

I was rabbeting on about Bluetongue virus six years ago. Foot and mouth cost the taxpayers £6bn and more in human misery to the leisure and farming trades. Now the Government has it under control.

But blue tongue is more hazardous because it's spread by uncontrollable midges. There is a minor plague of them at the moment. Tonight the history of the spread of bluetongue in continental Europe will be studied. There is no need for panic. The  threat is a relative slow moving spread that could be extremely costly if we continue to give free insurance to an industry that has never stood in own feet. Added to the problem here is that we have been so generous with compensation that it perversely accelerates the spread of the contagion.

There are remedies to reduce to scourge of this and other farm animal diseases. Animal movements must be reduced. Entirely unnecessary movements of animals spread F&M in 2001. One group of animals in West Wales were moved from 10 farms in a period of nine months. That was all about maximising headage payment subsidies. There are alternative and they were used to a small extent in 2001. Animals were shown and sold uses hi-tech links.  With Bluetongue rampant the farming industry should avoid all unnecessary animal contact. But the industry is wedded toHow to avoid farm 'blues' tradition and reluctant to adapt. Unfortunately there is little incentive to do this, unless the industry shares the same financial discipline of all other industries. In the 2001 F&M there was a perverse incentive to lengthen the outbreak as some farmers received compensation that was three times the market value of animals destroyed.

The uncertainty of the new disease might shake Gordon Brown's confidence in his own , so far, immaculate luck. This might not be the first animal diseases that will have delayed a British Election.

Monk power

Can we dare to hope that oppression may be challenged in Burma?

In spite of an emphatic democratic elections  extraordinary courage of Aung San Suu Kyi and many of her supporters, not an inc h of progress has been made for a generation.

British rule in the twenties was embarrassed by monks who challenge our power. Famously we killed one and he is recalled to this day. The present conjunction of angry respected monks, the influence of china and Aung San Suu Kyi may break down the the worst excesses of this cruel regime

Blackberried

Blackberried

Battered, bruised and incapable of texting, I have finally abandoned my four year old mobile phone. Well it abandoned me. It fell out of my pocket in a taxi in a foreign capital and it's lost irretrievably.

It was relief to learn that I could transfer the  same number I have had for a decade. The other good news was that I was due for an upgrade from Vodafone. Not unreasonably because I have been generously finance them for years. My beautiful shiny Blackberry is entirely free - apart from some extra monthly rental.

It's arrived at the right time.  MPs will be allowed to use them in the Chamber of the House of Commons soon. The fiction is that MPs concentrate attentively on every word that's said. It's never been true.Hours of backbench speeches are turgid and vacuous. But often it's unavoidable to suffer hours of tedium in order to get a speaking slot. That sinful waste of time can be in future usefully employed answering e-mails and surfing the net.

Blackberries liberated MPs and productively expand our workloads. Bless 'em

Soroptomistic

Candles were lit in Newport tonight to celebrate the international day world peace.

The splendid Soroptomist International of Newport selected the unusual venue of the re-furbished Green Houses in Belle Vue Park.

This band of dynamic professional and business women are committed to peace and bringing girls and women together to transform their lives.  Uniquely tonight's celebration kicked off with a thunderous, rhythmic concert of African drumming. Representatives of many nations lit their candles for peace.

The Soroptomists have ambitious goals in eliminating poverty, discriminations and promoting female equality. There is evidence of progress in  a generally sad world. Tonight was a significant inspiration and declaration  of hope for all who took part.

Twin hope
The success of the Georgian Rugby team in the world cup has not  gone un-noticed at Rodney Parade.

The city has been twinned with the second Georgian city Kutaisai for nearly twenty years. The bonds between the two cities are strong. Many Georgian groups have visited and studied here in Newport. Someone suggested this week that a Georgian player or two could add fresh strength to the Dragons.

Most of them play in France. But it's quite an idea.

Decent peg in rotten hole

Fading Ming

It’s not working Ming.

Today he made a fair fist out of justifying the virtues of seniority in political leaders. Tony Blair’ generation had no direct personal experience of war. It’s all easier in the history books. Tony could never bring himself to attend a funeral of any of the casualties of the Iraq War, even though he was directly responsible for their deaths.

If Ming had been Prime Minister he would have kept us out of that war. Part of the reason would have been his understanding of the horrors of war that comes from a long life. But as a defence against the barrage of ageist sniping against Ming, his today defence is a paper shield.

All MPs know and respect Ming as a decent honourable man. He had great stature as a spokesman on foreign affairs. Elevation to leadership has sapped his confidence and diminished him.

Today he looked and sounded terrified. He was over-rehearsed and his finally gesture bidding the audience to rise to their feet was touchingly inept. He strongly reminded me of  those dedicated well-meaning schoolteachers  who suffered agonies because they cannot impose discipline on unruly pupils. Good people in hopeless jobs.He stood before the country today, able and well intentioned but not fitted by nature or character to do the job of party leader.

For his, and his party’s sake, he should not delay his departure.

Telephone surgeries
There is no real answer on how to contact constituents.

I’m trying a new one today with newspapers  ads. Already with Rosemary Butler , I have regular street surgeries and we also set up our gazebo in the centre of the city inviting constituents to have a chat.. This blog has been daily for six months and my office had a great record in turning around letters and e-mails. There are also regular advice surgeries for those with intractable problems.

This year, I have even held reasonably successful old-fashioned public meetings on specific subjects. Tonight's initiative is to try to  contact those who would like to discuss personal or parliamentary matters. Rather than name particular times, I am inviting constituents to ring my office and I will call them back at a time suitable to them. I’ll let you know how it works.

In spite of all this effort to keep in touch, one thing is certain. When the general election is held called, someone will tell me on the doorstep ‘We only see you at election time.’

Election secret

There is now genuine excitement about an early election.

But it could all be a ruse to trap the opposition parties into prematurely emptying their election coffers.

One secret I can share with you is this picture of my preparations with crack canvassing team ready to meet the voters in my Tory areas.