My Desert Island Discs

I enjoyed listening to the Your Desert Island Discs programme on Radio 4 yesterday.  It  encouraged listeners to send in their Desert Island Disc choices, which I along with 10,000 other listeners did.

The choices were rather predictable, especially considering the listener demographic, but I do like the top 8 choices, although I would say that Bohemian Rhapsody is far from the best song by Queen.

I can't remember all 8 songs I selected, but if I was submitting today I would choose the following 8:

1. Casta Diva from Bellini's Norma, sung by Maria Callas



2. Drown by the Smashing Pumpkins



3. I'd Rather Go Blind, sung by Etta James



4. If It Be Your Will by Leonard Cohen



5. Symphony No.5 by Mahler



6. Wave of Mutilation (UK Surf Mix) by The Pixies



7. Estranged by Guns N Roses



8. With Or Without You  by U2



It is rather difficult whittling your choices down to 8, I could have easily picked 20 tracks.  I would have liked to have added Billie Holiday, Judy Garland, Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Billy Bragg, Chopin, Goldfrapp and Pink Floyd to name but a few.

My choice of book would be easier.  Without a doubt it would be the Tales of the City series by Armistead Maupin which I cannot recommend highly enough.

And my luxury would have to be and endless supply of wine, as that would be the only way to survive the tedium :)

Why I will no longer support York Against the War after its decision to invite Gilad Atzmon

I joined York Against the War in 2002 when it was clear the government were planning to invade Iraq.  It has done an excellent job over the years opposing the governments wars, and I have attended many of their meetings and marches, although admittedly fewer of the past few years.

I was dismayed to hear that they had decided to invite Gilad Atzmon (see http://www.yorkagainstthewar.org.uk/#gilad_atzmon).  Several people tried to warn YATW that Atzmon was an unsuitable guest due to the accusations of anti-Semitism against him.  I along with others objected to his invite, but the decision was made to go ahead with the invite.

I would recommend reading the following articles about Atzmon:

A Guide to the Sayings of Gilad Atzmon, the anti-Semitic jazzman by Tony Greenstein

The unlikely friends of the Holocaust memorial killer by Nick Cohen (although I would point out that the SWP don't have anything to do with him now either.  John Rose recently withdrew from a meeting when he found out he was to share a platform with Atzmon).

And if you are not convinced by the inappropriateness of Atzmon's invite read his own article on anti-Semitism at http://www.gilad.co.uk/writings/on-anti-semitism-by-gilad-atzmon.html

This event will do nothing to advance York Against the War's cause and I for one will have nothing to do with it.

Tabloids and invasion of privacy

Looking at the Sunday papers this morning I saw that once again the News of the World had hit new depths.  As the following was printed on the front cover:

How can such depraved stalking by the paparazzi be in the public interest?  I'm no defender of the Royals are their extended family, but like anyone else they should be allowed some privacy.  Why should Pippa Middleton be stalked by sleazy journalists and photographers?

When public figures and celebrities are at public events by all means it is fare game to photograph, but this sort of behaviour goes far beyond this.

Once again the News of the World and the Murdoch empire should be ashamed of themselves.

It is obvious that self regulation by the Press does not work and it is time for an official regulatory body as there is with other areas of the media.

Spitting Image certainly got it right when they portrayed tabloid reporters as pigs

Taking some time out to enjoy the Yorkshire coastline

Decided to take a rest from leafleting this morning to take a trip to Flamborough Head.  This is one of my favourite places on the Yorkshire coast and an excellent venue for me to practise my amateur photography:

Sign the petition against the cull

Click here to getImages  &
Badger Pictures - Pictures

I have just signed the League Against Cruel Sports' petition against the badger cull.

It is vital that they reach 100,000 signatures to ensure the subject is debated in parliament but to show the government just how opposed the public is to the cull, their target is ONE MILLION SIGNATURES.

Please help them reach this target. It only takes a minute but could save the lives of thousands of badgers.

Just follow this link www.league.org.uk/badgerpetition

Parish Council precepts and student exemption

This is my latest contribution to the Press letters page:

IT WAS disappointing to read that residents are still facing a rise in their precept payment even though parish councils have frozen the precept (The Press, April 20).

Heslington Parish Council froze the precept this year, but we didn’t have the information to hand at the time to know how many properties were exempt from council tax and whether it has risen from the previous year.

It seems grossly unfair that residents face an increase in their precept due to an increase in student lets. It would be unreasonable to expect students to pay council tax and the precept.

Perhaps it is time for a change in the law to make the landlords responsible for council tax, and therefore precept payments, when they rent properties out to students, so there isn’t an increasing tax burden on those residences which are not inhabited by students.

Letter in support of Labour winning Heslington

Got this letter in today's Press

On May 5, the voters of York are faced with a decision which will have major consequences for the next four years.

They can vote for the Lib Dems and four more years of Tory budgets, as they continue to rely on the local Tories and push through the national agenda from the Tory-led Government.

Or they can vote for change and vote Labour, who have an alternative vision for York, based on protecting local services and reducing waste. As a Heslington resident and parish councillor, I am supporting David Levene.
Since being nominated as the Labour candidate, he has made a point of canvassing the whole of the village and has listened to residents’ concerns.

He launched a petition to call for double-yellow lines on University Road – which the council has now thankfully adopted – and continues to work on traffic and parking issues in the village and Low Mill Close.

Despite what some might say, Labour can win in Heslington, having essentially tied for second last time.
Please support David in the upcoming local elections, a candidate I strongly believe will stand up for the residents of Heslington and listen to their concerns.

Want to vote Conservative in York? You may be left disappointed.

As reported in today's Press, the Conservative Party are not fielding candidates in all wards for the City Council Elections.  If you look at the Council's election page to check nominees you will notice:

Clifton - Only 2 candidates standing in a 3 candidate ward
Fishergate - No candidates in a 2 candidate ward
Guildhall - Only 1 candidate in a 2 candidate ward
Heslington - No candidate
Heworth - 2 candidates in a 3 candidate ward
Holgate - 2 candidates in a 3 candidate ward
Hull Road -  Only 1 candidate in a 2 candidate ward
Huntington and New Earswick - Only 1 candidate in a 3 candidate ward and that candidates nomination form was not valid.
Micklegate - 1 of the candidates forms was not valid so only 2 candidates standing.
Westfield - 2 out of 3 candidates forms had insufficient subscribers


It could be just coincidence that this lack of Conservative candidates will help the Liberal Democrats, especially in wards like Heslington where the Lib Dems are trying to keep the seat.  If it is just a cock up, it shows a high level of incompetence and would you really want to vote for a party who cannot even get their nominations right?

Why I'm voting No to AV

No to AV referendum broadcast

It is only in the last few weeks that I have finally made a decision over how I'm going to vote.  I found myself rather conflicted as I consider myself to be progressive and support a change to the electoral system but I do not believe that the alternative vote system is the right way to go.

My main reasons for voting against are:

• It will increase the chance of coalitions.  When coalitions are formed the governing parties can tear up their manifestos and start again with a coalition agreement.  I am not saying that parties in the future will sell out as badly as the Lib Dems have, but it is likely that parties will have to renege of pre-election promises.
• It is not proportional representation.  If this system genuinely created a level playing field for all parties I could be convinced, but this system only benefits the medium size parties like the Lib Dems and possibly UKIP in some areas.  Smaller parties are likely to get lower preferences from the majority of electorate so are unlikely to be successful.  This may be attractive because it keeps out the BNP, but it will also probably make it more difficult for the Greens or socialist parties to get elected.
• You could have a situation where the 2nd of even 3rd party with the most first preferences ends up winning.  This could lead to dull middle of the road parties who stand for very little, which is probably why the Lib Dems like it.
• Finally I see it as a negative system.  Apart from your first preference you are using the rest of your preferences to keep out the party you hate the most.  In reality there is only one party you want to win, the rest of you votes are being used to block another party from getting in.

What does surprise me is that the Tories are against it.  Chances are they will get a lot of 2nd and 3rd votes off UKIP, English Democrat and BNP voters as well as a good chunk of Lib Dem voters.  Alongside the re-drawing (or gerrymandering) of boundaries they must be on to a winner if it goes through.  Where as it is not too clear that it will advantage Labour as this Channel 4 report shows.

My preference for an electoral system would be to keep the current system and have a proportion of seats used as top up seats so that the smaller parties are represented.  That way we would have a fairer system whilst keeping the constituency link.

An appeal from Michael Moore to support the NHS

Israel's disdain for international law

Two items in the news recently have highlighted Israel's disdain for international law and seriously question Israeli leaders commitment to the peace process.

First we saw the white-wash which was the Israeli inquiry into the deadly attack on the aid flotilla last May.  The inquiry ruled that the attack and the naval blockade are legal under international law.  It is beyond belief that these actions can be found to be legal.  The attack was in international waters on a ship sailing under the Turkish flag, this can be interpreted as an act of war or at the least an act of piracy.  We can only hope the UN inquiry due to be released later this year produces a different set of findings.  Although like previous UN inquiries it is likely Israel will reject the outcome.

Then yesterday we saw the leak of Palestinian documents showing how much the Palestinian negotiators have been willing to sacrifice in order to come up with a peaceful settlement.  The documents show that the Palestinian administration were willing to surrender all but one of the illegal settlement areas in East Jerusalem to Israel.  This is despite the fact that Israel have illegally occupied these areas since the 6 day war in 1967.  This huge gesture was still not satisfactory for Israel, one can only presume that Israel is not interested in giving away the land it seized and will continues to build illegal settlements on.  It appears that the only acceptable resolution for Israel is the complete surrender of all settlements by the Palestinians.

The map below shows how much land the Palestinians have lost since 1948.  The longer the occupation and settlement building continues the more likely it is that there will never be a peaceful resolution.  This may prove to be a crucial mistake by Israel as eventually the only workable solution will be a one state solution.

Charity gimmicks for the Big Society

Got the following letter in the Press yesterday

The latest Big Society initiative to come from the Government is for cash machines to be able to accept donations for charity.

Although I have nothing against such moves, it is diverting attention from the fact that charities are going to face a serious funding crisis over the next few years.

In all likelihood, charities will see a drop in income from individuals as a result of the VAT rise, public-sector redundancies and pay freezes and the resulting redundancies in the private sector. Unfortunately, when times are hard, charitable donations are often the first area individuals look at when trying to save money.

Charities will also see a drop in income from local and central government, and with nearly a quarter of charities receiving funding from government, many charities are going to feel the squeeze from both individual and state funding. This at a time when many charities are going to face greater demand for their services as a result of the cuts.

This is just another example of the results of the over-the-top unnecessary cuts being imposed on us by the current Tory-led Government.

Predictions for 2011

Towards the end of 2010 we began to see the signs of what to expect for 2011.  Here are a few of my predictions for 2011:

Re-alignment of politics, the Liberal Democrats and the AV referendum


At the end of 2010 the Liberal Democrats were hovering around 8-10% in the opinion polls, only a few months into the coalition.  The first big test will be in the May local elections, Scottish Parliament and Welsh Assembly elections.  If the opinion polls are to be believed it will be devastating news for the Lib Dems, it is quite likely hundreds or even thousands of Lib Dem councillors will lose their seats, and lose control of most the councils they currently control.  Hopefully it will be mainly Labour who benefit from these losses, particularly in England, although the votes are liable to be shared with the SNP in Scotland and Plaid Cymru in Wales.

At the same time we will be voting on the AV referendum.  My prediction is that the result will be close, probably with the No vote winning.  If this is the case, the No vote alongside massive seat losses will put serious pressure on the coalition with many Lib Dems questioning their commitment to it, knowing that if they decide to stick with it they are likely to lose many parliamentary seats come 2015.

2011 should see a continuing rise in support for Labour, with Ed Miliband being the right man to lead the party forward.  This should be a good year for Labour, hopefully winning the Oldham by-election and greatly increasing the number of council seats.

Ed is right to lead a review of party policy and question which Labour policies worked and which didn't.  Only a re-invented party, moving on from New Labour will engage with voters, particularly those who drifted away from Labour due to Iraq and attacks on civil liberties.  The Labour Party is the natural party for those who believe in fairness, equality and strong public services and hopefully the number of new members will continue to grow throughout the year.

A year of protest


Just because the tuition fee rise has been passed by Parliament, the ConDems are likely to be disappointed if they think the students will now leave the streets.  There are likely to be continued demonstrations about fees and the loss of EMA.  Alongside these demonstrations they student movement will be part of the bigger movement challenging the ConDem cuts.

March 26th will see the March for the Alternative demonstration, organised by the TUC.  In all likelihood this will be the largest demonstration the country has seen since the 2003 demonstration against the Iraq war.

Alongside the demonstrations there are likely to be an increasing number of strikes from public sector unions defending workers against the hundreds of thousands of jobs the ConDems wish to shed.

Royal Wedding

The diversion of a royal wedding will not take out minds off devastation the ConDems are causing to the country.  Unlike the Di/Charles wedding it is likely to polarise opinion, many will support it, but many  will questioning the relevance of a monarchy in the 21st century.  Republic will be leading the campaign for an elected head of state.

A look back at my year and the year in politics

Below is a little round up of what I have been up to over the past year as well as some of my views on major political events.


Snow, my accident and the NHS


The year started off as it finished with the most snow we have seen in many a year.  With half witted headlines like this:

It did make life difficult for us all and made getting about difficult, especially as many councils were woefully in prepared and did not have the grit reserves required to keep the snow clear.

The snow also resulted in me having a bad accident on my bike.  Cross a bridge a skidded on some ice and landed on my right elbow breaking my arm in 4 places.  After being rushed off to hospital I was operated on and had pins inserted into my arm, so it now looks something like this:

Unfortunately during the operation my lung collapsed and I ended up in a high dependency unit leading to a 5 day stay in hospital.  My arm will never be the same again, although hopefully will be a bit more comfortable once part of it is removed next month, a year after the accident.

This was my first real experience of a hospital, and found York District Hospital to be professional from the ambulance to the post-op physio.  It is clear they all work under a lot of pressure and those who criticise clearly have little understanding of the many demands on staff time.  I sincerely hope that the improvements Labour have made to the NHS over the past 13 years are now not going to be unravelled by the ConDem root and branch re-organization.  I do however have grave concerns as I laid out in previous blog entries this year on the NHS.

My injury along with the continuing pains I have from a pinched nerve in my neck have pretty much put an end to my cycling, and 16 years I have finally purchased a car again.  I would rather have not, but there is no public transport where I live, so was left with little choice.

From Green to Labour

In May I voted Labour for the first time since 2001 as I had confidence in Gordon Brown's economic skills, and greatly feared what my result from a Tory or ConDem government, which unfortunately I am now placed to say 'I told you so' to all those who voted Lib Dem.

Gordon Brown had help re-build my confidence in Labour after the appalling actions of Blair.  He wasn't perfect and unfortunately didn't come across well in the media, but I feel in years to come Brown will be acknowledged to have made the right moves when it came to the economy.  Where as like Antony Eden and Suez, Blair will only be remembered for Iraq.

I won't go into the details again as to why I left the Green Party, as they are outlined in my original post.  There are still many things I agree with them on, and respect many of the activists, particularly those in Green Left.   The only areas I fundamentally disagree with them is mainly around Science and the Food Industry, particularly their opposition to GM.  But if I am to be honest, my main reason for joining the Greens was because they were anti-war, and although I of course believe in climate change and reducing consumption I feel these are not the only major issues to be focusing on and that the majority of the public just do not buy the Green manifesto and feel my time and effort is better spent working to get Labour back in power at the earliest opportunity, rather than working against them.

When I joined Labour in May along with tens of thousand of other new members we were immediately faced with a leadership election.  I supported the Ed Miliband campaign and was very pleased to see him elected.  I feel Ed was the fresh start we needed.  Only getting Labour elected will help put a stop to the devastating changes faces the country's public services, and urge every to get involved and join the party.

Heslington


I remain a Parish Councillor in Heslington, now in my fourth year and plan to stand again next May.  I will be putting most of my time into helping David Levene take the Heslington council seat from Labour, which I believe is an achievable target.  Visit his site at http://www.yorklabour.org.uk/people/davidlevene.php

Heslington now has a new website, which I maintain.  Thank you to Matthew Clements for designing and hosting the site.

The Cuts and the Con Dem government


Even in my wildest imagination did I expect the horrific vandalism planned for the public services by the Tories.  From near privatisation of the NHS, to free schools, to extreme funding cuts, to universities resulting in trebling of tuition fees to hundreds of thousands of public sector redundancies.  This is a shameful attack on the public sector which has more to do with right wing ideology than dealing with the deficit, and it is shameful that the Lib Dems are propping up this Tory Government.

I urge everyone to become active in their trade unions and local anti-cuts groups, as we cannot stand by and our public services get trashed by the government.

I am involved in York Stop the Cuts and am also a delegate to York Trades Union Council and will be spending the next few years campaigning against these cuts and help build for the national demonstration in London on March 26th, which is likely to be the biggest protest against the government since the Iraq war.


Other activism


I still remain committed to other campaigns including Republic, which in a year of the royal wedding will be leading calls for an elected head of state, please consider joining at http://www.republic.org.uk/Get%20Involved/Join%20Republic/form.php

This year sort Israel blocking the Viva Palestina convoy at the beginning of the year and later carrying out a massacre on the Mavi Mamara in international waters in May.  The Palestine Solidarity Campaign continues to campaign to end the illegal occupation of Palestinian territories, and I would urge you all to join the campaign at http://palestinecampaign.org/Index5b.asp?m_id=1&l1_id=78&l2_id=102

Twitter


I really enjoy engaging with other Labour activists on Twitter.  You can catch up with me at http://twitter.com/#!/mr_andy_c

To look forward


Health permitting I hope to be fully engaged in 2011 campaigning for Labour and against the cuts.  The future of the country is at stake and we cannot sit by and let the Con Dems wreck it.

Irish Daily Star tells it like it is