Dick's Blog

2009-04-08T06:18:00.000-07:00

Legislation

Does the government understand that passing legislation is sufficient? Douglas Carswell says on his blog that the government is to ban things that are bad.

This highlights the government’s failure to understand legislation. By passing an act of parliament you need society to accept, and the courts to enforce it. Simply passing a law does not mean that everyone will obey it, as he points out the success of ASBO’s show how legislation alone has failed it needs enforcement

A few years ago, I heard Lord Hurd speak; he raised the issue that an incoming conservative government should not legislate for two years thereby allowing legislation to settle down and be incorporated into the country and not produce a raft of new legislation. Obviously this is not completely possible but repealing legislation should be an important cornerstone of an incoming government.

The way that Labour has worked since 1997 is base legislation on announcements, press releases and comments that it can make in the media. Thus policy is created with the view to a headline and to show that they are taking a matter serious, not as an action to an outcome. Thus they have passed an act of parliament so they think the problem will now go away. This concept is fatally flawed as it does not take into consideration the way that it is implemented in society.

The concept of banning things that are bad shows a government that is running out of steam and looking for cheap headlines.

2009-03-27T01:44:00.000-07:00

Misleading Liberals

Eastleigh Borough Council are flaunting there sustainability credentials, they are such an innovative council when it comes to being sustainable that they are organising trips to Southampton, to see how it is done.

Typical Liberal democrats.

2009-03-26T01:33:00.000-07:00

The problems for the PIGS continues

In the Times today Charles Grant highlights the problems with the single currency in Europe and the problems that this creates. The lack of flexibility in the single currency and the inability to pull out could cause much greater problems.

2009-03-11T05:39:00.000-07:00

Are league tables the polarisation of class by postcode?

2009-03-10T02:38:00.000-07:00

The bringing of the market into education

The news that four schools are going for trust status should be welcomed, especially by the parents of the city. The need to change the failing education system has to be a priority for the parents and the council.

The introduction of markets into schools has taken place in America and Sweden, with a level of success that would be welcomed to our education system. Market principles require regulation – but smart and unbureaucratic regulation. The failings of a centralised culture can be seen in the nationalised industries of the post war labour government. These created large bureaucratic systems that were more interested in the preservation of there existence rather than the delivery of service. The same can be said of the education system. The education system should be about obtaining the best for children rather than the preservation of a system.

Last week it was announced that more than 42 per cent of the 75,000 pupils entitled to free lunches last year could not manage a single 'C' grade in any subject. This is a failure that can not be accepted. Change in the education system is required, the news that schools wish to take control and be accountable to the people they serve (pupils and parents) should be welcomed. This should allow the innovation that is required and allow for investment in the areas that are needed for the local area, rather than targets from Whitehall.

2009-02-16T05:49:00.000-08:00

He is to save the world!

The irony of being a leader of the Labour party.

After one leader takes us to war several times – he becomes an international peace keeper. The next brings the UK to its knees due to gross incompetence on the economy and he is now touted as becoming the international regulator on finance.

2009-02-09T01:01:00.001-08:00

Obama and 1997

Obama is sounding more and more like Blair when Blair was first elected into office. The rhetoric is how he is going to create change – much supported by the public at large. This is after a campaign saying how bad things are, therefore the public demand change wither it is needed or not. The problems are that the change is harder than they envisaged and they become bogged down in worrying about re-election and keeping the different vested interests that got them to the highest office happy.

Obama has a much more difficult situation than Blair. Blair had an economy that was on the up. Obama has an economic crisis that is getting worse and the challenge of two wars and climate change. The need to create change or tackle these problems is required, or will he be the American Blair much loved around the world but derided at home?

2009-02-05T00:24:00.000-08:00

Jeremy Clarkson on politics

“It's the first time I've ever seen a world leader admit we really are in deep shit,”

Thats what he said about Kevin Rudd, the Australian PM while his view on our leader is somewhat different

"... we've got this one-eyed Scottish idiot, he keeps telling us everything's fine and he's saved the world and we know he's lying ..."

2009-01-13T09:10:00.001-08:00

As he leaves the stage

George W Bush stands down next week and much is being written about his impact on the world stage. The anti American (Bush) stance is very evident. History will always make judgements and quite often history changes the opinion.

What can not be denied is during his presidency – America changed. Its role since 1989 and the fall of socialism! In the East left a void which no one filled. America was expected to be the world policeman and Clinton never filled the role, foreign policy was a weakness. George W has developed a foreign policy. This is not just the war on terror but much of the work that has been done in Africa.

This must really annoy the anti Bush lobby. His achievements in Africa in tackling AIDS and the atrocities in Darfur are often overlooked.

The challenge will be will the American/bush haters dreams of Obama live up to expectations?

2009-01-05T08:59:00.000-08:00

Deal or no Deal

The proposed deal that Peter Oborne suggests between the Labour party and Liberal Democrats in the Mail appears to exist if Nick Clegg’s comments are true.

Why does Nick Clegg wish to come out against the conservative policy and indirectly /directly support the Labour party? All good knock about party stuff for the start of the year, but he has been very quiet over Gordon’s fake 100,000 jobs.

2009-01-02T09:21:00.000-08:00

PIGS and the Euro

Peter Oborne has a very interesting article in the Mail today on the Euro. The economic downturn has affected many countries differently and he highlights the PIGS (Portugal, Italy, Greece and Spain) as countries that are suffering due to a central bank setting interest rates and the lack of flexibility that the countries have.

It is his conclusion that I find most interesting. In this he points to Gordon Brown not willing to enter the Euro Zone in 1999 and the willingness of Blair and Mandelson who wished to enter the new European monetary system, thus Brown losing control over the economy. The interesting bit is the person he has missed out – William Hague. His campaign to ‘save the pound’ created a situation where the government could not enter the euro zone. This was a campaign that was much ridiculed by many commentators but as we enter the financial mess that Gordon Brown has created it might just be to our advantage.

2008-10-09T01:26:00.000-07:00

Nuclear, coal or blackouts!

This is the decision that we are facing in the UK. The impending challenge that the UK faces in dealing with the energy question has still not been answered.

The need to energy shortfall that Britain is facing is imperative. The large combustion directive which comes into force in 2016 has implications on the way that hydrocarbon power stations operate. The decision to proceed with nuclear has been delayed for too long resulting in a shortage of UK engineers to deliver the project.

The issue of carbon capture and storage still has not been answered by the government, thus what do they do. Will the government proceed with new coal power stations without CCS to meet the shortfall or will they go for gas!!This is all before renewables is discussed. The need to look at all energy generation sources is a storm that is closing in.

2008-10-08T00:54:00.000-07:00

After the bail out!

What are the further ramifications of the government’s actions this morning?

The amount of money that the government is using to bail out the banking sector will have a large impact on other government projects.

What is the future of Crossrail and other large infrastructure projects! The Olympics I would imagine are secure as being such a show piece event for the UK. The questions will be on the projects just under the big news headlines. What will happen to the investment in the roads and rail networks will the government look to cut back to reclaim some of the money. Is the government prepared to make cuts in the totems of this labour government of schools and hospitals?

2008-10-05T10:34:00.000-07:00

Feed in tariff

On the 14th October in the House of Lords a coalition of MP’s, Lords and a variety of organisations will be supporting the feed in tariff.

Seventeen European countries have adopted a feed-in tariff system with considerable success. In Germany the feed-in tariff generated 14.2% of its electricity from renewable sources, in the UK less than 5% of all electricity is generated from renewables.

The conservatives are pledged to a feed in tariff, even Gordon’s Browns work by Stern on climate change supports it Stern review p366:
"Both sets of instruments have proved effective but existing experience favours price-based support mechanisms. Comparisons between deployment support through tradable quotas and feed-in tariff price support suggest that feed-in mechanisms achieve larger deployment at lower costs. Central to this is the assurance of long-term price guarantees. The German scheme...provides legally guaranteed revenue streams for up to twenty years if the technology remains functional. Whilst recognising the importance of planning regimes for both PV and wind, the levels of deployment are much greater in the German scheme and the prices are lower than comparable tradable support mechanisms (though greater deployment increases the total cost in terms of the premium paid by consumers). Contrary to criticisms of the feed-in tariff, analysis suggests that competition is greater than in the UK Renewable Obligation Certificate scheme. These benefits are logical as the technologies are already prone to considerable price uncertainties and the price uncertainty of tradable deployment support mechanisms amplifies this uncertainty. Uncertainty discourages investment and increases the cost of capital as the risks associated with the uncertain rewards require greater rewards."

The question is why is it not yet in the energy bill?

2008-09-26T00:54:00.000-07:00

What do you expect

Gordon Brown has been dismissed by the US Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson who refused to meet him saying he was too busy. Is this really a surprise! Consider how in the last few weeks Brown has come out in favour of Obama. How does he expect the republicans to react?

2008-09-02T02:46:00.000-07:00

The challange Mr Brown has over housing.

According to the Nationwide Building Society, house prices have fallen by 10.5 per cent in a year. Why then, would you want to invest in half a house now when, if you wait for a year or two, you will be able to afford the whole house?

2008-08-01T00:57:00.000-07:00

Motor bikes to go free

The Conservatives have the pleasure of removing the charges on the Itchen toll bridge for motorbikes and electric cars. The move is on that I have advocated since April 2007. We have to do a little work on the bridge to appease Heath and Safety. I hope that this will be done quickly.

This issue has highlighted the difference between how we see the city should be run and how the opposition would run the city. They have said that they oppose this as it is reducing the council’s tax take and will have to be made up, by other tax rises. This is where we disagree; I wish to reduce the tax take of the council on residents.

2008-08-01T00:56:00.000-07:00

Left turn ban into Bedford Place to go.

Work starts on the 25th August. Good news for the traders of Bedford Place and people of Southampton. This bad policy introduced by the Liberals has had a detrimental impact on trade in the area and the council should be looking to help local business in the city.

2008-06-13T08:48:00.000-07:00

Ireland say No

Patrick Harper said “god save Ireland”, we should say god bless Ireland

2008-05-19T02:03:00.000-07:00

Brown will he stay or will he go

Quite a lot is being written about next Labour leaders etc. On political betting they have quite an interesting piece on John Denham. The question that still has to be answered is Brown willing to step down for another.

I have read quite a few books on brown and one thread that run through them all is his love for the Labour party. Will he step down for the good of the Labour party is the one question that still remains unanswered?

One scenario would be for him to limp on until next summer, the European elections which have never been good for Labour. For Brown to be blamed for the defeat, then resign. A new leader to be announced at the party conference. The new leader will announce a general election hoping for a bounce in the polls with a few popular policies.

The people who will drive this will be the marginal MPs. There are many MPs looking at defeat who are dependant on the state and the state apparatus, electoral meltdown will destroy much of the labour party and the Labour party’s political arm.

2008-05-09T03:36:00.001-07:00

Brown admits that the conservatives can win.

In his approach to the conservatives he is showing that the conservatives have the credibility of being a government. By asking David Cameron what his position is, he is indivertibly saying the conservatives are an option for Britain.

2008-05-08T04:15:00.000-07:00

Labour losing touch

John Denham said today that Labour had left voters “confused”. I have been saying that for years.

2008-05-07T03:23:00.000-07:00

Challenges we face

We have some real challenges in Southampton. With last week fast becoming but a happy memory, we real issues in Southampton have to be addressed. We have below average GCSE results, and many of the children leave the city to be educated. After years of failed labour ideology we must reverse this trend and make our schools beacons where children wish to learn.

We have a chronic problem with the roads and pavements in the city. With a backlog of circa £600 million we have real issues and have to look at alternative ways to the traditional methods of improvements to get them to the state that the residents of the city expect and demand.

The issue of crime is high on the list of many of the residents I spoke to and we have to challenge this, only today the local paper is running a story about how parks are unsafe. This has to stop, I am sure we will be speaking to the police and asking how we can reduce crime in the city where labour have badly let down the people.

2008-05-02T04:24:00.000-07:00

Southampton reject Labour and Liberals

What a night in Southampton. We did it; I did not expect such a resounding victory, but what a great result for Southampton. I must say well done to all the conservative victors last night.

For a look at the results.

2008-04-29T04:58:00.000-07:00

The liberals have announced the manifesto for Southampton.

They have not given any clues what they propose for the city. They have four pledges.

They are going to keep in touch all year, so you get a leaflet which they admit they lie in.

They are going to protect vital services. Which ones, they have already said they wish to cut bin collections?

Set a fair council tax. Yet the Conservatives have proposed lower tax and cuts in tax, is that not fairer?

And be open and accountable. Whoops they introduced a parking policy which would charge people to park outside their house without any consultation.

In the article they accuse the Conservatives of being less than honest over the bin collection. We have said for 5 years we will keep the weekly bin collection, we have voted on it and put it in our budgets. Equally over parking, we have said all along we will not charge people who do not pay.

They really should pay attention.