Rain Stops Play

Our day at Lords resulted in us not watching a ball bowled. We arrived at "the home of cricket" at 10.25am and the rain had already started to fall as had the temperature. By 2pm we had given up all hope, and decided that if any play was going to be possible it would not make a pleasant viewing experience; regretfully we made our way back to the Underground station. The game did start later in the afternoon but the umpires ensured that it was a stop start experience before bad light finally brought the curtain down on an unsatisfactory day.

The era of new politics was shortlived, Secretary to the Treasury, David Laws resigned over his parliamentary expenses, and his claim for £40,000 rent money when he was living in the home of his partner. Laws, a millionaire, by the time he was thirty, hardly needed the cash. Another example that the prevailing culture,of "what in it for me" sucked in many MPs. Plenty of ministers lined up to call Laws, an honourable man who had wrestled with his decision. I'm not too sure he was that honourable, if he had been this story wouldn't have had legs.

Finally trivia, Britain finished last in the Eurovision Song Contest. Not sure whether this should be a moment of celebration. Of course the Europhobes will use it to claim that the rest of the continent hate us, and we'd be better off outside the EU. In truth it 's a competition for banal, trivial tunes sung by hyped up, glittery singers. While Britain chooses charisma free performers singing songs you couldn't sing in the shower there's little hope.

Same old.......

Lib Dem minister to pay back £40,000 in expenses row, Cameron gives peerages to two large Conservative Party backers, former government ministers to become Lords including John Prescott, so what's changed the new politics appears to ape the old.

Meanwhile the Con Dem Govt refused to put up a spokesman for BBC's Question Time on Thursday evening, their logic was that the "Labour representative" was unelected spin-master Alastair Campbell. In a barbed release they stated that Campbell's presence was simply to aid him sell copies of his extended diaries due for imminent publication. The BBC of course guard their right to invite whoever they think will make an entertaining programme, with Campbell, Sky's Adam Bolton would have been an interesting selection. As for the government of course they have the right to decline, but of course the public have the right to regard them as fritt.

At the test match England moved past 500, no batsman failed but none other than Trott will be entirely happy with their showing. Bangladesh on the other hand had a bowler take a "fifer" at Lords and made a highly respectable reply before stumps.

On a personal note in my role as School Case Worker I had my first visit to another school to aid a member in negotiation, and I think matters will be resolved satisfactorily .At work it seems that next year I will get Monday's off but what's important is the spread of lessons over the other days.

Graham & Alex returned from Mexico and I was able to explain to Graham in person about Marmite's illness and death. The four of us went to Nirvana in the evening , a really good curry and excellent company.

Third night of disturbed sleep due to sinus problems, must admit the pain cast a shadow over the day. Ho-hum.

Green History

At 3.30pm on Thursday 27h May, Caroline Lucas made her "maiden speech" in the House of Commons. The first Green MP in Britain but also a voice for all those who are concerned with climate change and the environment in general.

The moment featured on the front page of The Independent , which is copied below:

A historic moment for anyone who cares about the environment

By Michael McCarthy, Environment Editor

Friday, 28 May 2010

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TERI PENGILLEY

Caroline Lucas, leader of the Green Party. It is the first time in decades a new national party has taken a seat at Westminster

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History doesn't always come in thunderclaps or cheering crowds, and yesterday it was made with very little outward fuss when a woman in a pale blue trouser suit got to her feet from a green leather bench and began to speak.

It was precisely 3.30 in the afternoon, and the Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons, Hugh Bayley, had just issued a two-word invitation: "Caroline Lucas." And with that, the first MP of the Green Party, in fact the first MP of a new national party for many years, began her maiden speech and her party's political life at Westminster. Henceforth, the environment has its own representation in our politics.

It had been a long journey to get there, she said. Indeed it had: nearly 40 years from the Green Party's origins as the Ecology Party in the 1970s, and nearly 20 years in the case of Ms Lucas herself, who began her rise in the party at the moment of the Greens' false dawn: in the Euro elections of June 1989, when they got 15 per cent of the UK vote, burst on to the national political scene, and then blew it.

Thrust into the spotlight, such were the antics of the Greens' grassroots, rejecting the "cult of leadership" and insisting that the party spoke with several voices at once – I listened to the debates with an inward groan at Green Party conferences at places like Wolverhampton and Bridlington – that by the mid-1990s they had dissipated their credibility entirely and had become little better than a political joke. Caroline Lucas has led the way back to reality, and to the realisation of the truly noble aim of having a politics based on concern for the Earth, as much as on concern for equality, or freedom – the ideal of Petra Kelly of Germany's Die Grünen, the charismatic inspiration for Green parties the world over.

I have followed her long journey closely over those two subsequent decades, and many key moments are etched on my mind. There was a midnight meeting in Oxford in 1992 with a troubled Petra Kelly herself, shortly before she was murdered by her partner; a 4am moment of euphoria in Winchester Town Hall in 1999 when Ms Lucas was elected as the Greens' first Euro MP; the moment in 2007 when she was adopted as candidate for Brighton Pavilion, the one parliamentary constituency where the Greens had a realistic chance of success; her winning of the fight for the party to have a single leader, in 2008, and then the securing of the post for herself; and finally the election night marvel at 5.45am in Brighton's conference centre on 7 May, when she and her supporters realised that they had broken through the wall into Westminster.

That was an unforgettable occasion of cheers and wild delight – in a weird way, it was like witnessing a baby being born – but somehow even that was eclipsed for me by yesterday's event, calm, composed and routine.

It was so routine, in fact, that I was the only observer in the Press Gallery, apart from two guys from Hansard, the official recorder of parliamentary debates, and a chap from the Press Association, the national news agency. There were 31 people in the public seats, and fewer than 50 MPs in the chamber. There was no roll of drums. There was no fanfare. But when this 49-year-old former Oxfam adviser got to her feet, I could not suppress my own sense of history being made; for here it was. It was real, after all, it was really happening: the voice of the environment was at last being heard in the Mother of Parliaments, long after it had resounded through every other national legislature in Europe.

You had to go back several decades, she said, to the election of the first Nationalist MPs in Scotland and Wales, to find the last maiden speech from a new national political party.

She went on: "And perhaps a better comparison would be those first Socialist and Independent Labour MPs, over a century ago, whose arrival was seen as a sign of coming revolution. When Keir Hardie made his maiden speech to this House, after winning the seat of West Ham South in 1892, there was an outcry, because instead of frock coat and top hat, he wore a tweed suit and a deerstalker... but what Keir Hardie stood for now seems much more mainstream: progressive taxation, votes for women, free schooling, pensions, and abolition of the House of Lords.

"And though the last of these is an urgent task still before us, the rest are now seen as essential to our society. What was once radical, even revolutionary, becomes understood, accepted and even cherished."

MPs in their maiden speeches traditionally sing the praises of their constituencies, and Ms Lucas followed Tom Greatrex, singing the praises of Rutherglen and Hamilton West, and Angie Bray, lauding the virtues of Ealing Central and Acton, in making sure the Commons knew the virtues of Brighton. In fact, the bohemian bit of the Sussex seaside resort, centred on the Pavilion constituency, is the Greens' spiritual home, and Ms Lucas hinted at this, remarking: "You have to work quite hard to be a 'local character' in Brighton" before going on to praise the Lanes, the Conference Centre, the Pier, the Royal Pavilion, the entrepreneurial spirit of the people, the beauty of the Sussex countryside, and the achievements of her predecessor, the Labour MP David Lepper.

But the markers she put down about her future activities constituted the meat of her speech. Climate change would be a major concern, she said, and she went on: "Politics needs to renew itself, and allow new ideas and visions to emerge. So I hope that if, and when other new political movements arise, they will not be excluded by the system of voting. Reform here, as in other areas, is long overdue." Electoral reform, she said, "means more than a referendum on the Alternative Vote: it means the choice of a genuinely proportional electoral system."

Furthermore, she told the House, one of the things a single MP could do was raise issues which could not be raised elsewhere, and despite the tradition of maiden speeches being non-controversial, she broached the issue of the commodities trading group Trafigura and the shipping of hazardous waste to Ivory Coast – an issue which was not being reported in Britain, she said. She added: "These are the kind of issues I would like to pursue."

The House of Commons has been warned.

Extracts from the maiden speech

Our message

"If our message had been heeded nearly 40 years ago, I like to think we would be much closer to the genuinely sustainable economy that we so urgently need, than we currently are today."

Climate change

"I have worked on the causes and consequences of climate change for most of my working life, first with Oxfam – for the effects of climate change are already affecting millions of people in poorer countries around the world – and then for 10 years in the European Parliament. But if we are to overcome this threat, then it is we in this chamber who must take the lead."

Single MPs

"Both before the election and afterwards, I have been asked the question: what can a single MP hope to achieve? I may not be alone in facing that question. And since arriving in this place, and thinking about the contribution other members have made over the years, I am sure that the answer is clear, that a single MP can achieve a great deal."

WHAT ELSE HAPPENED

Away from politics I managed to get tickets for Drive by Truckers gig in London in November, I missed them last time they toured as we were in Australia, they are the one new band that I've taken to in the last 5 years, who I really want to see. That said I also bought a ticket to see The National in December. Their first album Alligator was a real find, and although I didn't find Boxer as appealing their new album offers more and as I resisted the chance to see them in May (it was election night), I succumbed this time.

England v Bangladesh at Lords saw Jonathan Trott reestablished his test credentials with a double century, but many of the other batsmen gave their wickets away cheaply. Seems that we will be seeing Bangladesh bat on Saturday, although the weather forecast isn't favourable.

Finally the message came through that Marmite's ashes could be collected. So sad that he came home in a box. Elaine and I bought a shrub and Marmite's ashes will be put under it close to the patio in our garden.

Bits and Pieces

A day when I thought I'd have time to read turned out to be the opposite. Mindless administration at work and acquiring information on my three on going union cases seemed to take up much of the day. Since April's Mid Essex AGM I've taken on the role of Secondary School caseworker Elaine thinks I should have delayed the take over till September, but I didn't. Cases now seems to come like buses in two and threes. Nearly thirty years ago I was Divisional Secretary of the Havering Association, so after a very extended break I'm getting involved again in trade union activity. How times have altered the role of trade unions in British society. The early 80s before the Miners Strike of 84-85 were years of optimism in spite of Thatcher's election victory in 1979. Today the Unions sem more marginal, yet as the last month has shown still vitally necessary to defend workers' rights in the workplace.

The morning paper reported that the Faces are going on tour. Back in 1970-71 they were the band, Rod Stewart lived the dream of music,booze, football and blondes. Rod went through a dodgy spell to say the least, but his popularity perhaps based on those ho remember him from 1971 still endures. A recent review explained that he coped well with the ballads but on he rockers he danced liked the middle aged uncle at a wedding. Anyway the Faces without Rod is like fish and chips without vinegar. Almost bizarrely Mick Hucknall has been lined up as the vocalist, frankly unthinkable and possibly unlistenable.

The other news is the fact that we have been offered two tickets for the test match at Lords on Saturday, at a knockdown price. Hopefully the weather will hold, there's nothing quite like test match cricket, and against Bangladesh, realistically only the weather should prevent an England victory. The tickets come from a contact of Mark's, my daughter's fiance, who works for Lloyds Bank. This caused some amusement at work, me being entertained by a group of bankers and the prospect of a dress code.

The on going transfer saga of Cesc Fabregas lurches on, today Cesc has talked about his respect for Arsene Wenger and that he will allow Arsene to determine whether he is sold. All rather unusual coming from a player allegedly seeking a move, but perhaps the admiration between the two is far deeper than the transfer gossip columns of the papers can handle. Cesc clearly wants to focus on Spain's world cup campaign, as far as Arsenal are concerned, we'll know once the Club starts advertising the new home shirt. If Cesc doesn't feature in the adverts then the writing is on the wall.

A day off

No work today, but neverthelss an opportunity to go to the allotment to strim, plant and water., and get out in the open air. Back home and the diging up a one scrub and the chance to make room for Marmite's ashes. We've decided that he should rest close to the patio as he was always happiest close to the house.

On the day of the Queens speech it was important to get an alternative view of the world. What better time to go to see Ridley Scott's "Robin Hood". A man who believed in taking from the rich to give to the poor. Russell Crowe has had mixed reviews for his portrayal, but he seemed convincing to me, although king john had too much of the Blackadder for my liking. Significantly the scenes of rural life in the early thirteenth century were not sanitised, and left no wondr in any doubt that life in medieval England was not pleasant or easy. Finally Maid Marian as a mature woman was far better than pairing the 40 something Crowe with a young actress. Altogether a very enjoyable film.

The evening spent watching the last episode of House (series 6). This series has been consistently excellent, the first episodes following House seeking psychiatric help was some of the finest Tv acting I've seen. The last episode carried with it a sting in the tail, and left one wondring whether what you'd just witnessed was for real or a drug induced fantasy. The box set is out in September and I've already got it on order.

Article of the day comes from The Independent
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/caroline-lucas-you-can-do-politics-without-selling-out-1981923.html

My reading of "when the lights went out" has reached just that stage. Heath and the "3 day week". Those were the days.

There's only one Phil Taylor !

Last night England played Mexico in an international friendly at Wembley. A couple of hundred yards away at Wembley Arena, because of an unscheduled delay caused by a power cut, the final of 2010 Premier League Darts took place. It takes a lot to draw my attention away from football, but the darts won the vote, and it didn't disappoint

Not known for understatement Sid Waddell called it the best darts match ever. The final saw last years winner take on 15 times world champion Phil Taylor in a first to ten leg contest. Taylor is a living legend, possibly Britain's most successful sportsman, so his victory 10-8 was widely predicted, however the fact that he achieved two 9 darts finishes and was going for a third and felt let down that it took him 10 darts ! A stunning achievement that resulted in him taking home the £125,000 first prize, and the trophy presented by Stephen Fry.

Meanwhile my look back on the 1970s has now led to me reading and reconsidering "the troubles" in Northern Ireland. I'm sure when people look back on the Blair years in many years time, the peace process will be seen as his greatest achievement in the same way that Iraq will be seen as his greatest indictment.

The Lost Weekend

There's a track by my favourite band, Richmond Fontaine, which starts off " I just can't stop thinking about Wilson Dunlap". On Saturday morning I knew what Willy Vlautin meant, from the moment I awoke the absense of Marmite hit me. Wherever I went I turned round expecting him to be there. The obvious solution was to leave the house, so this accounts for the most watered allotment in Ingatestone.

With Elaine in London at Caroline's "hen-day" I looked for tasks that required time but little thought I deleted and started to reinstall my itunes library, trying to be just a little more selective in order to trim the 3400 files. This is a job in progress.

On Saturday evening I focussed upon the Champions League Final. While in no way surprised by Inter's victory, I should own up to having underestimate Mourinho as a coach. On Saturday night, Inter scored, acceped that they would concede possession but restricted Bayern by defending as a team all over the pitch. Mourinho used his team's assets to his advantage and he commands great loyalty from his players. At Chelsea his utterings used to irritate and I felt he bought success, his triumphs at Inter suggest talents beyond the ability to spend. It seems he will go to Real Madrid next season, a challenge without doubt.

Slowly working my way through "When the lights went out" , a history of Britain in the 1970s.
Its strange reading about events that you've lived through as history. The chapter on the Heath government and their relations with the Trade Union movement especially the NUM seemed like another age. How Britain has changed in my lifetime.

In the days ahead we will learn more of where the CON DEM government are going to find £6billion, as the first installment of the cuts. The fact that the Queen's Speech was leaked to the Sunday Telegraph suggests that not all is well inside new politics. On Saturday the Green Party took a full page advertisement in the Independent urging people to join......

The story of Marmite the Cat

My thoughts over the last days have been dominated by Marmite the Cat. Since he became ill in April I've hoped that his loss of appetite could be cured. We learned of kidney failure, he went through teeth extraction to no avail. Two days ago the options ran out meaning that he had to have an exploratory operation, which sadly showed a tumour in his lung. The phone call came through at 1.30pm and I raced to a quiet spot at work to take it. A short conversation later and I had to accept what I knew to be right . I struggled to cope , my eyes welled up with tears.

I arranged for him to be brought back to Ingatestone, so Elaine and I could say goodbye to M.Cat. The journey to the vets at 5.30pm I was dreading, the vet bought Marmite in, he sat on a soft rug, I stroked his face as I'd done so often over the years, his eyes shown still brightly as he turned his head. I kissed him gently on the top of his head, and left the room once outside I cried. Elaine said the end was peaceful and quick, but I could not witness that. The Marmite I want to remember is as my morning alarm clock.

How Marmite would climb on the bed around 5am, touch me with his nose, touch me with his claw, he knew just the right amount of pressure to stir me. How if I was on my back he would climb up and purr loudly so happy for the early morning contact. In his last days he preferred to sleep part of the night next to me curled into the indentation of my body.

I remember how back in 1995 Graham chose him as a very small kitten at a cat sheler. The first night when we thought he disappeared, and I unscrewed numerous kitchen units until we discovered him keeping warm under the motor of the refridgerator. How as a kitten he would hide sitting on top on the LPs.

Marmite was a home cat never venturing far from our garden, when he went out at night he would return for his hard food "cocktail". His inability as a hunter , leaves and insects proved tricky for him. He was a large part of our lives, as Caroline and Graham left home, Marmite was a memory to an earlier time. He symbolised coming home, he greeted you on arrival, he lay on the bed for affection when I returned from work and got changed.

Today it seems that something has been ripped away from me, the house seems empty. I know I must clear away the objects that remind me of him. This morning as I walked past his dish, his footstall by the window I expect him to be there.

We will bury his ashes in the garden near his patio and plant a scrub in his memory. Today I feel so sad.

Marmite the Cat - August 1995- May 2010

Many runners, but all essentially the same

The Labour Party leadership contest hotted up as more runners declared. In addition to the two Millibands, Ed Balls, Andy Burnham and John McDonell threw their hats into the ring. McDowell, described as the veteran left winger, has a pedigree dating back to being Ken's deputy at the GLC, but sadly given the make up of the PLP and the current culture in trade unionism, his chances are slight. I sense as well that over the past 15 years many on the left have grown disillusioned with New labour and disgusted with Iraq and have like me, left the Party. As a result to quote the Independent the contest is essentially the sons of Blair versus the sons of Brown. The problem is that the battle between Blair and Brown was about personality and presentation rather than substance, as a result the 4 forty something men sound alike and probably advocate remarkably similar policies.

Meanwhile Cameron decides o take on the 1922 Committee . Clearly this is a battle for power and influence within the Tory party. Backbench MPs have met independently of the party leadership since lloyd george was ditched at the Curzon Club in 1922. Seems to be a strange decision to alienate those whose support will be needed by the CON DEm coalition in the weeks ahead.

Clegg on the other hand has shown he can exaggerate with the best described the political reforms that the coalition hope to usher in as the largest political change in the country since 1832. More important than universal manhood suffrage, then Nick. It makes you wonder if some politicians have ever eally studied history.

Away from politics the Fabregas transfer saga inches closer, and suggestions that it could be done by the end of the week. If completed Fabregas' last real action for Arsenal will be scoring from the spot against the club he has decided to join.

Summer always brings forth attempts to destabilise players, starting yesterday with Manchester City announcing that they have offered £20m for Villa's James Milner, who you'd hope might be focussed on England's world cup campaign.

I finished Chris Mullins "Tales from the foothills" in the morning. A late start at work allowed me two hours to read the concluding sections leading up to the 2005 election. Mullins spent the months before as Minister for Africa at the Foreign office. Reading of his travels to states where corruption, death and poverty were commonplace was on a number of levels rather depressing to say the least. On the theoretical level it reinforcd all I felt about the ability of power to corrupt even those who may start with noble intentions. Nevertheless it left me asking what can be done ? The task seems so vast, yet the alternative is to walk awayleaving millions to suffer and die. The legacy of colonialisation is very much still with us.


Travelling to Kingsmeadow in the evening for a meetings on AFC Wimbledon communications, a chance to talk about what we do well and what needs drastic improvement, not surprising most attention was given to the oficial website. Issues that I'd raised two years ago.

New Starts (Cesc to Barcelona)

I make no excuse for starting with a small snippet of news on 7th August AFC Wimbledon will play an Arsenal XI at Kingsmeadow. Not surprising a few Dons fans immediately asked who I'd be supporting. Nine years ago at the start of the journey the idea that a top premiership club would send a side to play us seem absurd. Arsenal will be sending their first team squad to Warsaw that day for a PSF but nevertheless any Arsenal squad should brim with talent and there's a good chance that some of the 2009 FA Youth Cup winning squad will be on display.

During the day news started to filter out of a meeting between Cesc Fabregas and Arsene Wenger, if the media are to be believed Cesc has asked that he be allowed to join Barcelona this summer. Arsenal could block the move because Cesc still has many years on his contract, however Wenger has always said there is little point keeping a player who is determined to leave. It would be easy to attack Barcelona, who in the past have been responsible for destabilising players however given that Arsenal capturing Cesc from them as a 16 year old, and that Cesc has family and friends in Catalonia rather dilutes that argument. Arsenal fans have rather resigned themselves to the fact that one day Cesc would rejoin his boyhood club, in spite of being Club Captain there is little doubtthat he has become rustrated by Arsenal's inability to challenge for top honours. Perhaps the demolition of Arsenal in the Nou Camp was the final straw. It will be disappointing if the media stories are true, but perhaps it can be argued that Cesc has been on a 7 year loan deal and Arsenal could collect something like £50 million at the end of it.

Away from football , today was the first day of the new parliament. Interesting programme on 5Live interviewing the new intake. A couple of the old guard talked about how competitive the place is and its easier to get good advice from opposition MPs because they aren't competing with you. All rather dispiriting, there has been much talk of new politics and a new spirit in Westminster but I sense many will get sucked into the old culture.

NUT meeting this evening was both enjoyable and useful. It seems in my new role as caseworker I need a separate mobile phone, not sure I'll get used to carrying two machines in my pocket.

Finally Mark Ramprakash scored his 110th century against the old enemy , Middlesex at the Oval. Meanwhile Surrey announced the signing of Younis Khan, Pakistan Test Batsman to supplement their one day side ahead of the Twenty20 Championship, seems all ideas of signing Lara fell by the wayside.

New Album by The National is my album of the week.

So much for New Politics !

The Times this morning headlines the fact that the CON DEM coalition plan to create over a hundred new peers to redress the party imbalance in the House of Lords. Those of tus who've been around a while will appreciate that in the years before 1999, the Lords had a massive inbuilt Conservative majority because of the presence of over 700 heriditary peers. Now that their number have been whittled down to 92 and because of the appointment of Tony's cronies the situation is now rather different.

Of course the logical conclusion to all this is that every govrnment will top up the House of Lords by appointing its political allies. What a crazy system, and of course adding further weight to the demand for a purely elected second chamber.

The other front pages and the back are dominated by Lord Triesman's resignation as Chairman of the FA and the 2018 World Cup bid. The allegations made by "the randy lord" (copyright The Sun) that Spain and Russia would try to bribe referees at the tournament thissummer are farfetched, and given that Russia didn't even qualify for the finals absurd. I genuinely believe that Australia has a better case to host the finals in 2018, but irrespective of that, two issues remain. Firstly the role of the Mail of Sunday in the matter, they obviously made for the story. Kiss and tell stories are not new, nd usually only harm the subject, here however England's bid has been placed in jeopardy by the desire for a few extra sales and the chance to expose a peer with his pants down. Here's hoping that football fans boycott what is a venomous rag.

On a different matter the whole Triesman affair exposes once again why late middle aged men believe that women twenty years younger are attracted to them. The women I assume are attracted by the presence of power, how else can you explain the "two jags to two shags" affair of John Prescott For the men involved I sense its best explained by Bill Clinton's "because I could."
Power and its abuses explain much. The tragedy is that the Triesman affair has managed to keep England's cricketing success off the main sports pages, which I find incredibly disappointing.

Oil still pours into the Gulf of Mexico, it's a major environmental disaster. I rarely buy BP petrol but I won't be returning anytime soon. Again the story is disappearing out of the media, so typical

World Champions

An excellent weekend, culminating in something all English cricket supporters have waited many years to witness, England winning a cricket world cup. Twenty20 cricket may not be to everyones taste, but victory is still sweet. There are few things I enjoy more in sport than beating Australia, so Sunday afternoons triumph is even better. A great performance by the whole team and the return to form throughout the tournament by Kevin Pietersen was a huge bonus, he fully deserved his player of the tournament. The ground in Barbados was full of England supporters celebrating what hopefully will lead the way to further success in the limited over forms of the game.

The Cup Final came and went on Saturday, how strange to consider just how important it as as a child, when live football was a rarity. I barely remembered to turn on the television, obviously not helped by the fact it was Chelsea v Portsmouth , two clubs who represent for different reasons the problems asociated with the modern game in England.

Saturday evening we entertained two old friends, one a former Labour MP. We talked about the fall of New Labour and the prospects for the coalition. Naturally matters turned to the Labour leadership and my sentiment that there are few policy differences, members may well vote on who will out perform Cameron and Clegg in televised debates. I really couldn't bring myself to explain that I'd voted Green and gone to the election count not as a Labour Party representative.

I listened to Radio 4's " Any Questions", perhaps the best political debate I've heard in recent weeks, Roy Hattersley, Simon Hughes, Douglas Hurd and Caroline Lucas. Caroline did a really good job, and exposed Hughes for the opportunist that he is. Hattersley seemed more radical than I remembered him when he was deputy Labour leader. Hattersley disliked Blair with a passion, and clearly remains outside the orbit of New Labour.

Sunday morning and a quick visit to a Plant Sale organise by the local Green party. An excellent way to raise funds. At present we seem to be surrounded by slashers and choppers. Our next door neighbour has chopped down all the hedging plants on her side of the fence, and at the allotment our new neighbour from Zimbawe seems to be adopting a scorched earth policy.
The allotment is beginning to flourish the rhubarb planted last summer is substantial, and the gooseberry bushes show signs of bareing fruit. All we did is some summer weather in the weeks ahead.

Come on England !

Today on the evening news the cameras were taken into the Cabinet Room, to show the Con Dem coalition government at work. In the last couple of days I've pondered on how the Lib Dems might get round certain policy differences with the masters/partners. Now I know, they'll abstain, its seems they are set to abstain on the issue of new nuclear power stations. How principled !

There's talk of a proposal to increase the majority needed for a vote of confidence motion to 55%, I'm sure that this will cause a stir, so more of that in the days ahead. John Greenwood had an interesting letter published in the Times explaining that fixed term parliaments would prevent new Prime Ministers from seeking a fresh mandate, a point well made. Needless to say the Times failed to publish my letter on the flaws in the analysis regarding the Alternative Vote, which if introduced would seriously hinder the chances of small parties.

Away from politics England have reached the final of the Twenty 20 World Cup a great achievement, although sadly not covered by free to view TV. Shops are already full of world cup materials from flags to underwear , but this is the football tournament that doesn't start for a month. Meanwhile in darts, Phil Taylor has gone through the whole Premier League season undefeated, another fine achievement from "The Power"

Jobs for the Boys

The Cabinet was announced today, to non ones surprise the Conservatives have taken most of the key posts. Clegg might be deputy prime minister but something tells me this is as important as being Vice President in the USA. Actually less so because Biden would become President in the event that Obama was incapitated, not so sure Clegg would be so lucky.

The media lapped up the "love fest" between Cameron & Clegg in the Downing Street Garden. Of course what no one knows is what policies will be dropped and cobbled together along the way. The term "New Politics" is being thrown around, but the enthusiasm of day one may soon tarnish.

Lib Dem, Chris Huhne becomes Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change. Today announcements that planned new runways at Heathrow and Stansted have been scrapped. I'm convinced the acid test for the Lib Dems will be the issue of nuclear power, an area where compromise is not possible. However the Lib Dems have dropped their opposition to Trident replacement, so I wouldn't rule out a conversation to nuclear power.

The Cabinet has a distinctly male feel. The only woman in a key position is the illiberal Theresa May as Home Secretary. I suppose the fact that Brentwood's MP Eric Pickles has been give a cabinet position in charge of local communities is worthy of recording.

The first candidate for the Labour leadership came forward today, former foreign secretary, David Milliband was the first to declare his candidature. Milliband has somethings going for him, he attended a North London Comprehensive School and supports the Arsenal. Sadly he is rigidly Blairite and an apostle of New Labour. I wonder what his father, Marxist social scientist, Ralph Milliband would have made of his two sons politics. The reality is all the front running candidates are near clones of each other, they all served loyally under Brown and sme under Blair. I doubt whether their plicy priorities will have more than a cigarette paper dividing them. However the contest is likely to meander throughout the summer months until Labour Party conference in September.

Away from political developments, Fulham played in the final of the Europa Cup and lost 2-1 . The right result based on th game, but Fulham's achievement is highly creditable. Roy Hodgson has got on with the job and put together an effective team with a limited budget. Zamora played injured and as a rsult the attack was blunt, but they lost after extra time. For years Fulham yoyod around the lower reaches of the Football League, the public enthusiasm for their achievement is perhaps also a response to the fact that Europa Cup games have been regularly shown free to view on Thursday evenings and the Club has priced the tickets so that casual fans have made their way to Craven Cottage for a cheap night out.

An unholy alliance

It became clear that the preferred option for the Lib Dems was to cut a deal with the Tories, and by late afternoon it became clearly that Brown would rsign as PM and Cameron would hot foot it round to the Palace. What remains are thefine details. The "who gets what".

Cameron wanted power, and Clegg has faciliated it. Its difficult not to see the Lib Dems as flip-floppers. The party that told the public that it was the party of change, has become the party of changing its mind. What policies will the Lib Dems drop to be in government ? Once again it seems that the detail will emerge in the days ahead.

On a personal level I know I'll be ribbing those who voted tactically for the Lib Dems, they voted Clegg and got Cameron.

Brown will leave politics forthwith, Harriet Harman will lead the Labour Party on an interim basis, over the next few days there will be jockeying for position among the leading contenders.
The Millibands, Balls and Johnson seem the likely runners. Crudas would be an interesting challenger, but there's no suggestion that Labour will move towards the left.

For the first time in years I experimented with Radio 4 as the news unfolded. Very strange , more in presentation than in content, whether I persist, I'm not sure. There's something about 5live that I enjoy, or is it just familiarity. In asimilar vein, The Times may become unbearable with the Tories in power, can see that offer from The Independent becoming very attractive was the year progresses.

Meanwhile away from all that Capello named his provisional 30 players. No room for Sol sadly, perhaps because Carragher begrudgingly offered his services after retiring from international football two years ago. Too many Spurs players for my liking, watching England games waiting for Theo to appear seems to be what awaits this summer. The domstic football season finished for me in the evening with Epping v Ongar, a goalless draw played out in front of 38 spectators.
For Ongar a well earned point, that could have been three if the penalty that was awarded in the second half had been converted.

Out through in the In door

Guess the news of the day is the announcement of Gordon Brown resigning not forthwith but allowing the Labour Party to put into place the mechanism for electing a new leader. Meanwhile it's suggested that this will allow the Labour/Lib Demtalks to proceed at a quicker pace.

Of course that's not quite so easy as any Rainbow Coalition would involve more than the two parts, if as thought the sticking point between the Conservatives and the lib Dems was political reform especially electoral reform, well that isn't as straightforward in a Lib-Lab arrangement.
I know from old that there are many senior figures in the Labour party who are as wedded to FPTP as the Tories. If there had been enthusiasm for reform Blair would have pushed ahead with the recommendations of the Jenkins Report years ago.

At the moment all potential contenders for the Labour party leadership are keeping quiet , at least in public, which is probably as well. There is confusion and words such as mandate which are rarely uttered are the new flavour of the month. I'm not sure all this toing and froing is doing Clegg and his team many favours, there's a mood that he's gone beyond bargaining and is beginning to look a bit like a cheap whore, selling himself to whoever will give the most. I sense it will reach the end game soon, but I wouldn't like to predict the outcome, I still wouldn't rule out a minority Tory government.

Away from all this, England qualified for the World T20 semi-finals, while KP flew home to be at the birth of his sun. I wonder how the elder at the MCC felt about that. Later Capello picks his provisional 30 players for the World Cup, but more of that tomorrow.

The last day of the season

The 2009-10 Premiership title was decided within minutes of Chelsea kicking off at Stamford Bridge. Wigan capitulated, and the rest was mire details. It was a "Father & Son" day at the Emirates Stadium as we went to cheer on Arsenal in the final home match of the season against Fulham.

Arsenal guaranteed themselves 3rd place in the league almost from the minute that Fulham qualified for the Europa Cup Final. A fantastic achievement, but one ensured that Arsenal faced a Fulham XI. From the moment Arshavin opened the scoring the result was never in doubt. A 4-0 scoreline will be rcorded, but Arsenal seemed to ease up after half time, by that time theo Walcott had made two goals and missed a chance he should have taken, but probably enough to man that he will go to South Africa with the England squad. For me the greatest pleasure was witnessing the enthusiasm and effort of Emanuel Eboue, no such thing as a lost cause. How Eboue has moved from villain to cult hero in 18 months, is one of those strange things that happens in English Club football.

Tottenham secure in 4th place, returned to type, losing 4-2 at relegated Burnley, after being two goals up. It's good to have our Tottenham back. Anyway after 90 minutes, a lap of appreciation, and the season was over. A break till August when fans hope for more than a new home shirt, three or four new signings please Mr Wenger.

Meanwhile across London talks continued between Cameron & Clegg, Clegg and Brown and various other combinations. No outcome likely in the short term, but I will be interested to gauge the reaction of Lib Dems supporters at work when I mention, Vote Clegg ,get Cameron.

Albums of Choice :
1.Tapestry by Carole King - recorded in 1971 from memory, a couple of tracks haven't stood the test of time, but it remains very listenable.
2.Out of the Blue - Electric Light Orchestra worth it for Mr Blue Sky alone. There are some fillers but there are few tracks as good to wake up to.

General Election Aftermath

First the bald statistics
Conservatives 306
Labour 258
Liberal Democrats 57
Others 28

However in the current climate of equal interest is the popular vote :
Conservatives 36.1
Labour 29.1
Liberal Democrats 23
Others 11.9

(all expressed as percentages)

This was the election where everyone was diaappointed. Whatever the final outcome it brought to an end 13 years of New Labour government. Labour returned to its roots, in other words the seats it won in 1997 across the South and East of England have now been forfeited. It lost many seats in the midlands and retreated into the north of England and Scotland. For the Conservatives this was not a qualified success , in 2005 under Michael Howard, they had been potrayed as "the nasty party", five years on and in spite of 4 years of "Dave" telling us they'd changed, their percentage of the vote only rose just over 2%. Finally the Lib Dems, after the hype of Cleggomania the harsh reality of too many second places in an electoral system that doesn't award silver medals.

For the Conservatives, the Thatcherites who never went away will question the Cameron model, they'll pour scorn on his arguments over social inclusion, and the base won't want deals with Clegg preferring minority government. For the Lib Dems it's all about whether they can reject Cameron's seduction attempt, will they hold out for political reform, which of course the Conservatives will never give. For Labour barring a minor miracle they'll need to walk over, lick their wounds and find a new leader in time for the next election that might only be months away.

At the moment wise men are keeping quiet, only a couple of backbenchers are calling for Brown to go as leader, but many more I assume are thinking it. Cameron, will survive to fight another election, he'll hope to consolidate his position by winning an overall majority next time. For all the moaning of the Tory right, they don't have any more cards to play. A move to the right might sway those who voted UKIP/BNP on May 6th but at the risk of losing the much craved centre ground. As for the Lib Dems , its a damned if you do and damned if you don't scenario. Whatever way Clegg turns, he'll alienate some of his supporters.

An electoral system whose supporters have claimed that its big advantage is that produced strong, stable government with a clear winner has in 2010 done nothing of the sort, and as a result we are entering one of the most interesting periods of British politics I can remember.

The 1st Green Party MP

After less than 90 minutes sleep, I woke to the news that Caroline Lucas had won Brighton Pavilion. It would nice to say it was like that Portillo moment, except I was asleep.

Whatever else happened in the 2010 general election this was just brilliant news , Caroline polled 16,238 votes giving her a majority of 1,252 on a 62.3% turnout.

Later that day the BBC covered Caroline doing a street meet in the town. Great publicity while all talk was of deals and hung parliaments, here was the Greens first MP already out meeting her constituents.

What follows is a selection of articles that appeared in the national press :


http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/green-party-savours-first-westminster-seat-1965987.html

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/one-brighton-shining-moment-as-lucas-makes-green-history-1968203.html

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article7119584.ece

While the victory in Brighton Pavilion is a historic first, elsewhere the Green vote was squeezed and the Party was unsuccessful in the other target seats. The media where they have mentioned have commented on the fall in the perecentage of the vote for Green candidates. This analysis fails to take into account that far more candidates were fielded (in excess of 300) and some of these were in constituencies where where little campaigning had been undertaken.

With the world of politics moving into uncharted water and with another general election likely within 18 months, possibly earlier, there will be a need to survey the performance and draw up a clear set of priorities over the coming months.

Counting Votes in Brentwood

After going to many election counts over the years, Thursday night was strange. A number of reasons , a different colour rossette, no hope of winning. Perhaps also because I felt like the old lag who'd seen it all. Yet I must admit to real enthusiasm and some excitement.

What became apparent was that the Green vote was equally spread throughout the constituency. 45-60 votes in each ward. Jess got 584 votes (1.15%) of the vote. My optimism springs from the fact that no election address was distributed, no leafletting/canvassing, and across the seat progressive votes move to the Lib Dems in the distant hope of unseating the Tory. In fact Eric Pickles increaded his majority securing 28,793 votes, this nearest challenger the Lib Dem 11,872.

The count saw local councillors and county councillors rolling their sleeves up to act as vote checkers. We had a good presence, indeed one of the ring wing groups commented on our numbers.

The result came out just before 4am, Pickles who'd hardly been seen in Brentwood during the campaign, commented that his absence had increased his majority ! Jess did some media work, and got home to watch some more results before finally deciding that sleep was a smart move at 4.50am !

Election Day

It's election day (May6th). I wanted to vote as early as possible. Its the first general election where I've haven't voted Labour. I remember back to 1974 when I canvassed and voted Labour for the first time, wearing a "solidarity with the miners" badge. How politics has changed. Labour is almost unrecognisable.

Today the press made interesting reading, only the Mirror backing Labour. They printed the now famous Bullingdon Club photo of Cameron et al at Oxford University. Not a pretty sight.
Once again the pick of the others was The Independent who focussed on the opportunity today for political reform. The Sun attempted to take Obama's "Hope" poster and superimpose Cameron's head, but Cameron is no Obama, and if the Conservatives are victorious tonight it will be with about 35% support in the country.

My favourite tweet of the day sent to me by my friend Paul was :
FOXES. Do you yearn for the days when you were chased by toffs in red coats and ripped apart by hounds? Vote Tory.

While England won their first game in the Super8s, I'm getting ready to go to the election count in Brentwood. It will be interesting mainly to see if there are any pockets of green support in the constituency.

The mood in Brighton seemed good judging by messages getting through:

http://www.greenparty.org.uk/news/green-breakthrough-to-westminster-will-help-change-british-politics-forever-says-lucas.html

It seems that the target seats will be announced between 3am and 4am, so it will be a late night.
Here's hoping that by tomorrow morning Britain will have its first Green MP, whatever the result it's been a hugely energetic campaign especially in Brighton and Norwich.

No predictions because as Pete said today I'm the world's worst tipster, so I won't prompt fate.

The night before the dawn

Today I had two hopes that Redknapp and Cameron would both fail . Last night the first part of my lose double failed. Spurs have secured a place in the Champions league, they outplayed Man City and on last nights performance deserved the victory. Its fifty years since Spurs entered the premier european football tournament and I'd be happy if they had to wait another fifty. Of course Redknapp still awaits trial on tax evasion charges so there may be light at the end of the tunnel.

Plenty of football rumours . Firstly Marouane Chamakh has said he's signing for Arsenal from Bordeaux, all the better because it's claimed he's stubbed both Spurs and liverpool to become a Gooner. It's claim that Arsene Wenger is to sign a contract extension to 2013 and Sol Campbell is lining up a deserved new one year contract. Of course other defenders out of contract are likely either to reject terms (Gallas) or be shown he door (Silvestre and Senderos).

I avoided the election news last night, knowing that it wil dominate my thoughts tomorrow (Thursday 6th May), up early to vote.

In the frame

The day that started with me opening a copy of the Times and witnessing one of the most sick making political photos I've seen. The subject was the Camerons. David looking thoughtfully out of a window while Sam lies across him. Clearly posed, if this is a way to win votes, then what hope is there.

Meanwhile the Times at least focussed on another Green target seat - Norwich South. - explaining it was a four way marginal. A decent well balanced article

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article7115849.ece

Away from the election the T20 World Cup saw England proceed to the Super 8s in a most unsatisfactory way. On a pudding of a pitch England limped to 120 largely thanks to Eoin Morgan , against ireland who really are a club standard side. Ireland's innings started before the rains came, but the game was abandonned. Meaning that although England qualified, far too many of these games have been rain affected. I sense the organisers wanted to take the games to Guyana for the best of motives, however the prevailing weather conditions needed to be considered. Perhaps some of the islandfs in the Caribbean would have been a wiser choice.

The Guardian claims that Arsene Wenger is lining up a bid for Manchester City's Joe Hart. I think all arsenal fans would be relieved if they thought that a new keeper was on the horizon but unless Hart is soon out of contract I can see no reason why City should want to do business.

Rainy Days and Mondays

Its Bank Holiday about as far away from the idea of May Day as you could imagine. Instead of international workers day , on a wet weekend in England, the public appear to be flocking to shopping centres. After visiting my mother we were trapped for 90 minutes on the M25 approaching the Dartford Tunnel , the radio station said there was no traffic incident just shoppers.

The election campaign enters it final phase. The simple fact is that many electors are still not enthused to vote, I will be interested to see what the final turn out will be. Many people are saying that they have not seen canvassers or had leaflets without realising that most parties are desperately short of activists. On the plus side Green supporters continue to flood into Brighton.

Away from the campaign, Arsenal contrived to lose their penultimate game of the season. The average fan can see that some players are simply not up to standard. Allardyce doesn't change, and he knew that Fabianski could be bullied into errors, and he didn't disappoint. Next Sunday's game at home to Fulham now takes on greater significance, as Arsenal still need a point to ensure they finish third and avoid the Champions League Qualifying Round. fortunately for the Gunners , the Fulham game is four days before the opponents play in the Europa League final.

The T20 World Cup is underway in the West Indies.Frankly having a second World Cup just 12 months after the last event is over milking the cash cow of cricket. The opening games in Guyana have been rain affected and the Duckworth Lewis formula is an unsatisfactory way of producing a result, all the more so when England lose after scoring 191 in 20 overs. Meanwhile after Sunday's wash out, Surrey have continued on their winning ways, defeating Worcestershire at New Road yesterday.

Changing Sides

A wet bank holiday weekend, the last before the General Election and judging from the polls still much to play for. Broadcasters keep reiterating that many electors are undecided but few if any draw the obvious conclusion that there is little on policy to divide the three main parties.

Over the weekend the newspapers have been letting their readers know who they are backing. Well The Sun changed sides some weeks ago so it was hardly a surprise when The Times jumped ship too. Anyone who had read the paper would have seen the writing on the wall over the past year.

I suppose the biggest surprise was the Guardian's endorsement of the Lib Dems and Nick Clegg.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/apr/30/the-liberal-moment-has-come

The comment pages were full of angry Labour supporting Guardian readers vowing never to buy the paper again. I'm not clear what publication these readers will turn to. On Saturday I chose to get The Independent not least because they decided to give prominance to a major news story. The oil spillage from a BP rig in the Gulf of Mexico could turn into a major ecological disaster, the Independent gave it the coverage that such an event warrants. In the US, President Obama has learned that when there's a disaster the people expect their leader to be there.

On Saturday evening Caroline Lucas was interviewed by Jeremy Paxman. Paxman was his usual self, confrontational and somewhat patronising. Caroline handled herself well and did not get confrontational. Paxman focussed on tax policy and the concept of a living wage as an entitlement. As ever in this type of interview no real discussion is allowed. Paxman finished by moving to vegetarianism and family size and population. Both areas of debate that deserve an in depth discussion, sadly however that's not TV's style.

The next morning, the IOS argued in favour of voting tactically to ensure a parliament that would deliver plitical reform. Pleasingly they encouraged Labour and Lib Dems in Brighton Pavilion to vote Green to stop the Tory. Who'd have thought it !