MSPs give initial backing to SNP budget plans
"The Scottish National party's latest budget plans today cleared their first hurdle at Holyrood with minimal resistance after Labour MSPs unexpectedly supported the outline bill.
The Liberal Democrats were the only party to oppose the Scottish government's £33bn spending plans when MSPs voted on stage one of the three-step budget process, which accepts the principle of the budget." [Guardian]
Social mobility drive focuses on schools
"Nearly 175,000 bright children on free school meals will be given a chance at the age of 11 to visit a university as part of a drive to lift the aspirations of working-class people and increase stalled social mobility in Britain.
Young people in the top 20% of ability based on test results, and who are eligible for free school meals, are about half as likely to go to university as those who are not eligible for free meals. They will now be offered two chances to visit universities." [Guardian]
Third runway rebels hear from the Labour whips
"Government whips have embarked on a "ring round" to put pressure on rebel Labour MPs not to join forces with the Tories in a Commons vote opposing a third runway at Heathrow airport. As the cabinet discussed the expansion of Heathrow at its weekly meeting yesterday, the rebel MPs said they were prepared to ignore a government three-line whip and vote with the Conservatives.
David Cameron is expected to devote one of the Tories' opposition day debates in the Commons to government plans to allow a third runway to be built at the west London airport. Votes are held after such debates, giving the Tories a chance to embarrass the government by enticing Labour rebels to their side. The vote would have no force in law." [Guardian]
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Showing posts with label Grimsdales Ire. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Grimsdales Ire. Show all posts
1/12/09
Grimsdale's Ire: 12/01/09
Boris Johnson to challenge government in court if it backs Heathrow third runway
"Boris Johnson confirmed today that he is preparing to challenge the government in court if it "fails to see sense" and gives BAA the green light to apply for a third runway at Heathrow.
The mayor of London urged the government to reject the plans, as both sides ramped up pressure ahead of the government decision, which is expected soon." [Guardian]
Cameron refuses to rule out Clarke return to shadow cabinet despite noises off from eurosceptic right
"David Cameron has received a stark warning from the Conservative right against bringing the ex-chancellor Ken Clarke back to the frontbenches, with a former minister saying the return of the outspoken Europhile in a year of European elections would "split the party".
The Tory leader is tipped to reorder his frontbench team in the next few days, but over the weekend the former Tory chairman Norman Tebbit said his one-time colleague was too "lazy" for frontbench life, while Stuart Wheeler, the party's biggest donor and a staunch eurosceptic, said he would consider withdrawing funding if Clarke was given a job." [Guardian]
Government 'repeating mistakes' by fighting miners in court
"The government is spending millions of pounds in legal fees fighting the claims of sick miners in a move that lawyers say will recreate the mistakes of the past.
Miners suffering from knee problems and chronic lung disease from inhaling dust on the surface of pits were not included in a previous compensation scheme and are being forced to fight for compensation in the courts." [Guardian]
Haroon Siddique: Prince Harry's racist comments still have the power to divide
"Despite Prince Harry's past misdemeanours and the undistinguished record of his grandfather when it comes to race relations, I was still shocked when I heard that he had used the word "Paki". But what surprised me even more were the attempts to play down the nastiness of the term or to pass it off as a term of endearment.
Listening to a Five Live radio phone-in this morning there were a number of people calling in who suggested that it was a mere abbreviation, of the same ilk as "Brit" or "Aussie" and therefore equally inoffensive. But to make such an argument is to ignore the history of use of the word "Paki" in this country. Growing up in west London in the 1980s it was difficult to escape the insult. I was called a Paki numerous times throughout primary and secondary school, as were Asian classmates – regardless of whether they were actually of Pakistani heritage. Sometimes it was spat out by strangers on the street; at other times it was used by supposed friends registering their anger because I had, for instance, misplaced a pass playing football. Often I would respond with my fists, so hurt and impotent did I feel at the time." [Guardian]
Police squads 'deter ethnic minorities'
"Black and Asian police officers still believe specialist squads are "closed shops", dominated by white middle-aged men and a "canteen culture" of working hard, playing hard and drinking hard, according to a report by the Equality and Human Rights Commission, 10 years on from the Macpherson inquiry.
In a major review of the attitudes of police in England and Wales towards race since the Stephen Lawrence case, the commission reports that ethnic minority officers were put off by perceived "old-fashioned working practices" and felt that robbery, anti-terrorist and firearms units were open only to recruits whose "face fits"." [Guardian]
Redundancy: Don't suffer in silence, says Jon Robins
"It is reckoned that every day this year as many as 1,600 people could lose their jobs. That's 600,000 jobs gone in the next 12 months, according to the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development. Despite the numbers it is almost impossible not to take redundancy personally. It strikes at our core.
As a society we are increasingly - and some would say unhealthily - work-obsessed. Many of us define ourselves through what we do for a living, so job loss attacks our self image, as well as undermining our personal security and ability to provide for loved ones. Don't underestimate the emotional impact of redundancy; those on the receiving end need to rely on their partners, family and friends for support. Loved ones, in turn, need to be there to provide that support." [Guardian]
Click here to read more information on Mr Grimsdale, King Heron and Mobius
"Boris Johnson confirmed today that he is preparing to challenge the government in court if it "fails to see sense" and gives BAA the green light to apply for a third runway at Heathrow.
The mayor of London urged the government to reject the plans, as both sides ramped up pressure ahead of the government decision, which is expected soon." [Guardian]
Cameron refuses to rule out Clarke return to shadow cabinet despite noises off from eurosceptic right
"David Cameron has received a stark warning from the Conservative right against bringing the ex-chancellor Ken Clarke back to the frontbenches, with a former minister saying the return of the outspoken Europhile in a year of European elections would "split the party".
The Tory leader is tipped to reorder his frontbench team in the next few days, but over the weekend the former Tory chairman Norman Tebbit said his one-time colleague was too "lazy" for frontbench life, while Stuart Wheeler, the party's biggest donor and a staunch eurosceptic, said he would consider withdrawing funding if Clarke was given a job." [Guardian]
Government 'repeating mistakes' by fighting miners in court
"The government is spending millions of pounds in legal fees fighting the claims of sick miners in a move that lawyers say will recreate the mistakes of the past.
Miners suffering from knee problems and chronic lung disease from inhaling dust on the surface of pits were not included in a previous compensation scheme and are being forced to fight for compensation in the courts." [Guardian]
Haroon Siddique: Prince Harry's racist comments still have the power to divide
"Despite Prince Harry's past misdemeanours and the undistinguished record of his grandfather when it comes to race relations, I was still shocked when I heard that he had used the word "Paki". But what surprised me even more were the attempts to play down the nastiness of the term or to pass it off as a term of endearment.
Listening to a Five Live radio phone-in this morning there were a number of people calling in who suggested that it was a mere abbreviation, of the same ilk as "Brit" or "Aussie" and therefore equally inoffensive. But to make such an argument is to ignore the history of use of the word "Paki" in this country. Growing up in west London in the 1980s it was difficult to escape the insult. I was called a Paki numerous times throughout primary and secondary school, as were Asian classmates – regardless of whether they were actually of Pakistani heritage. Sometimes it was spat out by strangers on the street; at other times it was used by supposed friends registering their anger because I had, for instance, misplaced a pass playing football. Often I would respond with my fists, so hurt and impotent did I feel at the time." [Guardian]
Police squads 'deter ethnic minorities'
"Black and Asian police officers still believe specialist squads are "closed shops", dominated by white middle-aged men and a "canteen culture" of working hard, playing hard and drinking hard, according to a report by the Equality and Human Rights Commission, 10 years on from the Macpherson inquiry.
In a major review of the attitudes of police in England and Wales towards race since the Stephen Lawrence case, the commission reports that ethnic minority officers were put off by perceived "old-fashioned working practices" and felt that robbery, anti-terrorist and firearms units were open only to recruits whose "face fits"." [Guardian]
Redundancy: Don't suffer in silence, says Jon Robins
"It is reckoned that every day this year as many as 1,600 people could lose their jobs. That's 600,000 jobs gone in the next 12 months, according to the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development. Despite the numbers it is almost impossible not to take redundancy personally. It strikes at our core.
As a society we are increasingly - and some would say unhealthily - work-obsessed. Many of us define ourselves through what we do for a living, so job loss attacks our self image, as well as undermining our personal security and ability to provide for loved ones. Don't underestimate the emotional impact of redundancy; those on the receiving end need to rely on their partners, family and friends for support. Loved ones, in turn, need to be there to provide that support." [Guardian]
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1/6/09
Grimsdale's Ire: 06/01/09
David Cameron calls for league tables to improve
"David Cameron said today that he would introduce league tables for prisons to cut reoffending rates with an increased emphasis on rehabilitation and follow-up care after release. The Tory leader also indicated that he was against the government's "Titan prisons", which he thought were a "bad idea".
"The idea that big is beautiful with prisons is wrong," he told 20 handpicked members of the public in
Gambling levy to be forced on gaming firms: "Sports minister outlines plans for levy to fund treatment of problem gamblers
"Gambling companies may have to pay a compulsory £5m-a-year levy because of their "very disappointing" failure to fully fund treatment for gambling addicts, the government said today. Publishing a consultation paper, sports minister Gerry Sutcliffe said the money would be used to fund helplines and treatment centres for gambling addicts, as well as to pay for research.
Sutcliffe said the government was resorting to a compulsory levy because gaming firms were failing to fund this sort of treatment on a voluntary basis. The industry has three months to draft an acceptable voluntary scheme or the government will quickly impose its alternative." [Guardian]
"The Icelandic government is examining "all possibilities" of dragging the British government before the European court of human rights over its decision to use anti-terror laws against the bank Landsbanki, it emerged today.
The move, revealed in a statement by the office of Iceland's prime minister, Geir Haarde, follows legal advice that a claim for damages in the
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10/31/08
Grimsdale's Ire: 31/10/08
Child Poverty In London: The Facts 31/10/08
End Child Poverty, providing a crib sheet on child poverty in London [EndChildPoverty]
Click here to read more information on Mr Grimsdale, King Heron and Mobius
End Child Poverty, providing a crib sheet on child poverty in London [EndChildPoverty]
Click here to read more information on Mr Grimsdale, King Heron and Mobius
10/30/08
Grimsdale's Ire: 30/10/08
New skills service for prisoners 'has failed'
“Prisoners are not being provided with opportunities to take qualifications and improve their basic skills, the chair of a cross-party group on MPs claimed today.
Edward Leigh, chairman of the public accounts committee, said the Offenders' Learning and Skills Service (Olass) - which was set up to help deliver skills and learning for offenders has "failed in almost every respect".” [Guardian]
You're wrong Jack Straw, our prison system is a disgrace
Mary Riddell draws comparisons between more and less successful prisons, focusing especially on the rehabilitative element offered by prisons. [Telegraph]
Government warned not to backslide on equal pay
“The government was warned today not to "backslide" on taking measures to close the gender pay gap after a new poll showed widespread public support for tackling the issue.
Nine out of 10 of those questioned by the Fawcett Society campaign group and the Unison trade union said the government should do more to tackle the pay gap.” [Guardian]
Much at stake for Sinn Féin when army war veterans parade through
“In the centre of
The first is the conflict between the city's republican community and the pro-British unionist one. The former are turning out in force to protest against a homecoming parade in honour of local troops who have served in British army regiments in
Grimsdale's Ire: 30/10/08
Gordon Brown urges banks to keep lending
“Gordon Brown today called on the banks to keep lending to small businesses despite the global credit crunch.
The prime minister welcomed a commitment by the European Investment Bank to make £4bn available to provide finance to firms in the
Alistair Darling urges banks to use £4bn from European Investment Bank 30/10/08
“Alistair Darling today urged the banks to use a £4bn package of support from the European Investment Bank to help small and medium-sized businesses through the credit crunch.” [Guardian]
Card demand
“Gordon Brown yesterday demanded that lenders who provide store and credit cards must change their rules to make it more difficult to repossess homes. The prime minister's intervention came after Shelter warned that up to 5,000 homes repossessed last year - out of a total of 27,100 - were from people who took out "second-charge" loans. These can be people who take out a loan against their home to pay off cards. The Treasury wants the Finance and Leasing Association, which covers the £11bn "second-charge" market, to draw up a code of practice in line with that adopted by the Council of Mortgage Lenders, which stipulates that a lender should take a debtor to court to repossess a property only if they have exhausted other options.” [Guardian]
Grimsdale's Ire: 29/10/08
Grants for 'middle-income' students to be cut 29/10/08
“The amount of student support available for children of middle-income parents will be cut next year, the universities secretary confirmed today.
Growth in student numbers will also be cut next year to "no more than 10,000" after the government miscalculated increases in the bill for higher education, as revealed by the Guardian.” [Guardian]
On the right track 29/10/08
“He was born in
It is not surprising, then, that Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones comes chock-full of opinions. He fumes about social exclusion; he is angry at how black people have been let down by the middle classes; he is hugely critical of corporate
What may be more surprising and interesting is that Emmanuel-Jones is thriving in the Conservative party. He has been invited for tea with David Cameron - despite labelling him a "toff" - and was given a prominent place for the leader's speech at the Tory conference. Most surprising of all, he has become a darling of the Wiltshire blue-rinse set and is to fight the newly minted seat of Chippenham for the Conservatives at the next general election.” [Guardian]
White working class need help in recession, says Phillips 29/10/08
“Special measures are needed to help the true losers from the economic recession - the poorer, white working class - if an anti-migrant backlash is to be avoided, the head of
He said that historically ethnic minority groups and women were worst hit in an economic slowdown.
But it had to be recognised today that in some parts of the country "the colour of disadvantage isn't black or brown. It is white."” [Guardian]
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10/28/08
Grimsdale's Ire: 28/10/08
The toilet roll of reason and the burger box of justice
Simon Hoggart takes a light hearted look at how crime and punishment is being questioned in the House of Commons. [Guardian]
Tory thinkers offer lesson in equality
Polly Curtis describes an influential new Policy Exchange report on reforming schools funding. [Guardian]
There's cynicism at the heart of the communities agenda
David Clements makes a concerned critique of the Sustainable Communities Act, suggesting that its motive may be to build political legitimacy rather than promote democracy. [Guardian]
Unions prepare big pay demands to offset food and fuel price rises
“Substantial pay rises are being sought to compensate for sharp increases in energy and food prices, the union-funded Labour Research Department warned last night.” [Guardian]
Child support changes could hit 25% of lone parents, warns charity
"Changes to the way lone parents receive child support could see a quarter falling through the system, a charity warned on the day government reforms come into effect. From this week, separating couples on benefits - who make up 70% of child support claimants - will be encouraged to reach their own arrangements voluntarily, leaving the government's new Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission to concentrate on those cases where people repeatedly refuse to pay maintenance or regularly default." [Guardian]
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10/27/08
Grimsdale's Ire: 27/10/08
Minister bows to calls on climate change bill
The government is to announce tomorrow that it will include rapidly growing aviation and shipping emissions in
More councils expected to ban speed cameras
“Several more local authorities are expected to ban speed cameras over the next year, following the lead of
10/21/08
Grimsdale's Ire: 21/10/08
The government must sort out council tax
Chris Leslie and Sunder Katwala write on the need for Labour to grab the mantle of council tax reform, in order to avoid being outmanoeuvred by recent Conservative taxation policy. [Guardian]
Wealth gap narrows faster in
“The gap between rich and poor since 2000 has narrowed faster in the
Straight to the specialist: Johnson cuts GP referrals 21/10/08
“Patients with back pain will be able to access free treatment from NHS physiotherapists without having to go through a GP, under plans to be unveiled today by the health secretary, Alan Johnson. In a substantial extension of patient choice, he also wants to give people an opportunity to book appointments with speech therapists, dietitians, podiatrists and other health professionals.” [Guardian]
Lloyds chief tells staff: you'll still get bonuses 21/10/08
“The chief executive of Lloyds TSB, one of the banks participating in the £37bn bank bail-out, has promised staff they will receive bonuses this year despite Gordon Brown's promise of a crackdown on bankers' pay following the investment by taxpayers. Eric Daniels has told employees that the historic government intervention will not change the behaviour of Lloyds, which is in the throes of the rescue takeover of HBOS brokered by the prime minister.” [Guardian]
10/20/08
Grimsdale's Ire: 20/10/08
Many in Ireland are wary of economic costs of absorbing Ulster 17/10/08
Henry McDonald on political deadlock in Northern Ireland not being resolved and how Dublin and Westminsters’ focus on the financial crisis is leading to political stalemate. [Guardian]
What's the point of regional ministers?
“It's not my question, but it's a good one. Andrew MacKinlay asked it in the House of Commons this afternoon. According to the Press Association report, this is how he put it:
‘I don't want to be unhelpful or unkind, but will you tell us what the regional ministers do … There is no scrutiny. I genuinely don't know precisely what they are supposed to do, and bearing in mind now we are told that there are some assistant regional ministers as well, those of us who are in the minority of never having been invited to do anything are beginning to wonder what we have done wrong.’” [Guardian]
Don't forget the third sector
Stephen Bubb on the need to continue development of the Third Sector through sheltering it from some of the more damaging effects of the economic downturn. [Guardian]
David Cameron proposes national insurance cut for small businesses 20/10/08
"David Cameron today called for very small businesses to be given a temporary tax cut of 1p on national insurance contributions to help them deal with the economic downturn.
In an interview on the Today programme on BBC Radio 4, the Conservative leader said that a tax cut of this kind — costing the Treasury £225m — could offer immediate help to small firms struggling to pay their bills." [Guardian]
Home Office trying to persuade unions to drop opposition to ID cards 20/10/08
"The Home Office is in active talks with trade unions in an attempt to persuade them to abandon opposition to the imminent introduction of compulsory ID cards for airport workers.
Meg Hillier, the minister in charge of ID cards and passports, today promised there would be no delays to the £4.7bn programme despite the threat of a UK economic recession." [Guardian]
Digital TV switchover will hit rural viewers 20/10/08
"The culture secretary, Andy Burnham, has been accused of neglecting 2.5 million households in rural areas after it emerged they would get less than half the number of TV channels broadcast to the rest of Britain after the switch to digital services.
Opposition MPs believe the government is discriminating against rural communities because ministers have refused to make sure that all the broadcasters using the digital service Freeview offer a full service for every home, once the analogue television signal is finally switched off in 2012." [Guardian]
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10/15/08
Grimsdale's Ire: 15/10/08
Councils and ministers to discuss fallout from banking crisis
“Town hall officials will meet ministers later today to discuss help for 116 councils affected by the near-collapse of the Icelandic banking system.
The Local Government Association, the umbrella body for councils in
Click here to read more information on Mr Grimsdale, King Heron and Mobius
9/9/08
Grimsdale's Ire: 09/09/08
UK Govt screws browser choice 09/09/08
A firestorm is brewing over proposals issued by the UK's IT advisory body over which browsers the public sector should support. Taxpayers will be forced to change their browsing habits and computer setup to accommodate the guidelines, say web standards experts. [TheRegister]
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A firestorm is brewing over proposals issued by the UK's IT advisory body over which browsers the public sector should support. Taxpayers will be forced to change their browsing habits and computer setup to accommodate the guidelines, say web standards experts. [TheRegister]
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8/14/08
Grimsdale's Ire: 14/08/08
A part of the historic
The claim by the Conservative-leaning thinktank Policy Exchange that some northern cities are beyond revival did not go down well in
Police call to action after pay talks collapse
The Police Federation yesterday called on its 140,000 members to in effect work to rule after talks broke down in a bitter pay row. The federation's chairman Paul McKeever called on rank-and-file members to conform strictly to their conditions of employment after discussions broke down in the long-running pay dispute which saw more than 20,000 officers march on
Ethnic minority lawyers discriminated against, report finds
The body that regulates solicitors has been discriminating against ethnic minority lawyers and subjecting them to potentially ruinous investigations, an independent report has concluded. [Guardian]
It might seem a far cry from the golden age of post-war housing, when both main political parties competed to deliver millions of homes in record time and "credit crunch" had yet to enter the popular vocabulary, but after a gap of more than 20 years, town halls are now re-entering an area regarded as no-go territory until recently - planning thousands of new council houses. [Guardian]
Boris Johnson backs 'disproportionate' development project
Boris Johnson has given the go-ahead to a £50m development project in a
8/10/08
Grimsdale's Ire: 10/08/08
Pressure grows on Met boss after fresh claims of racism
Sir Ian Blair's leadership of Scotland Yard looked increasingly fragile last night as
Britons should be guaranteed a legal right to a decent standard of living, health and housing under a Bill of Rights, according to a report by an influential group of parliamentarians. [Guardian]
Coal plant protesters injured in skirmishes with police
Protesters battled with police yesterday but failed to shut down Kingsnorth coal plant as the climax of the week-long climate camp ended with a series of skirmishes. [Guardian]
Capital charmer
Decca Aitkenhead interviews Boris Johnson following his first one hundred days in office as the Mayor of London. [Guardian]
Untested drugs offer cancer hope
Thousands of terminally ill cancer patients are to be offered the chance to take experimental drugs that may extend their life by months or even years, The Observer can reveal. [Guardian]
Warning over backlash in bail hostel row
The government has been accused of a 'shocking lack of consultation' over its plans to open hundreds of bail units in residential areas despite fierce opposition from councils. [Guardian]
8/4/08
Grimsdale's Ire: 03/08/08
Illegal filesharing: Government hits back at BPI over last-minute letter
A hardline letter sent by the BPI at the 11th hour threatened to undermine a deal to tackle illegal filesharing, prompting the government to express its displeasure of the music industry body in a terse response to record label executives. [Guardian]
POCA: Threat to 3,000 more post offices if card account is lost, says union
Up to 3,000 more post offices could be closed if the government hands a key contract to one of the network's rivals, a union warned yesterday.
Already suffering from the latest round of branch closures, the viability of the network could be threatened if the Post Office fails to win the tender to provide the successor to the current Post Office card account (POCA) through which millions of people are paid benefits, according to the Communication Workers Union. [Guardian]
DNA testing: One in five fathers wrongly identified by mothers in Child Support Agency claims
Nearly one in five paternity claims handled by the Child Support Agency end up showing the mother has deliberately or inadvertently misidentified the father, figures show. [Guardian]
Et voilà, France has a better way of justice
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8/1/08
Grimsdale's Ire: 01/08/08
Blindfolds that wrecked a deal to boost global trade
Excellent article by Phillip Stephens in the FT, discussing the lack of heroes participating in the
Erdogan must seize this chance to reform
Soli Ozel on a key episode in Turkey’s democratisation process, involving Turkey’s court deliberating that the AKP should not be shut down despite being engaged in anti-secular activities. [FT]
A windfall tax is an easy solution – but a wrong one
The Independent’s leading article on why a windfall tax on energy companies would only be a short-term solution and how more effective regulation would be more appropriate. [Independent]
The Cost of Oil Subsidies
NY Times editorial on developing economies continuing their oil subsidies. [NYTimes]
Sam Freedman: Good teachers are made in the classroom
Sam Freedman, head of the education unit at Policy Exchange reinforces the importance of high quality teaching on educational attainment and on possible innovations such as paid learning on the job to encourage recruitment and development of trainees. [Independent]
Pensioners are a blessing, not a problem
Melanie McDonagh takes an optimistic view of the consequences of longer life expectancy on society. [Telegraph]
How to regain popularity: windfall taxes or surcharge on banks?
Michael White on Gordon Brown’s options for alleviating poverty caused through soaring energy prices. [Guardian]
The return of Nicolas Sarkozy, the great reformer
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7/31/08
Grimsdale's Ire: 31/07/08
A top aide to the mayor of
Met chief challenges Johnson over role
Sir Ian Blair yesterday warned that his post as commissioner of the Metropolitan police was becoming increasingly politicised and that plans by the
Local government:
The troubled history of local council logos has thrown up another spat after rival authorities managed to end up with exactly the same clever piece of design based on one letter. [Guardian]
Arts Council damaged by funding row, report warns
Arts Council England mishandled its last funding round so completely that it ended up receiving "the most damaging publicity in its 60-year history", according to a report which investigated the way the council, after having secured an extra £50m for the arts from the government, bungled its distribution. [Guardian]
Promise of prompt access to family doctors not met
The NHS in
Stuart Simpson: We should welcome China's growth, not fear it
Goldman Sachs forecast that by 2050, out of the current G7 nations, only the
There is much hype and hysteria about this fact. But we need calm heads to see what is really exciting about
Multilateralism not dead as a Doha
Like
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7/29/08
Introducing Mr Grimsdale, King Heron and Mobius
This blog is named after three characters, Mr Grimdale (fictitous), Heron King (legendary) and Mobius (real). It is my belief that they provide novel points of examination to understand how societal situations are interpreted, how they are dealt with and how we could be addressing common issues in new ways.
Mr Grimsdale
Mr Grimsdale was a genial civil servant in the excellent Norman Wisdom comedy, The Square Peg. Set during the Second World War, the first half of the film focuses on the clash between the council workmen’s drive to complete road maintenance outside the base and the army’s attempts to continue the war effort without Norman Wisdom’s mishaps and shenanigans.
Rather than focusing on their respective tasks the characters spend their time fighting each other rather than cooperating to both ‘keep the arteries of
Mr Grimsdale’s Ire can be read here
King Heron
According to ancient legend, a mischievous band of Roman soldiers discovered, in the final days of an otherwise pitiful siege against England, that their enemy lived in perpetual fear of a half-man, half-bird creature known as the Heron King. Hoisting a Roman solider onto stilts and slapping a heron mask over his face, the Romans sent a tipsy Heron King decoy careening into the middle of a British camp, watching as lines of English soldiers scurried off in terror.
King Heron (I know its been switched, it reads a tad better) serves as a metaphor to highlight the ingenuity involved to sway people, the hollowness of some symbolism and the dangers of becoming influenced by malign propaganda.
Mobius
Mobius was the surname of a lateral thinker who was able to double the effectiveness of an existing process through thinking outside the box. In the most well known example of his methods a leather strip that was used in a mill was cut in half. One side was rotated 180° and refixed so that the leather strip was worn down on both sides rather than just one.
Mobius reminds us that sometimes doing the right thing can sometimes be more important that doing something well. He serves as a metaphor for the benefits of innovation, even for minor alterations and how waste of resources and opportunity should be actively avoided.
Grimsdale's Ire: 29/07/08
Minister calls for more police in schools
New measures to deal with violent spate of shirts not being tucked in [Guardian]
Appeal court clamps down on use of painful restraint in child jails
The use of painful physical restraint to maintain discipline in privately run child jails has been outlawed by the court of appeal as an infringement of young people's fundamental human rights. [Guardian]
It's too early to dismiss all these new schools as mediocre
John Sorrell, chair of Cabe optimistically defends the Government's criticised £35bn school-building programme. I'm hoping for some good CIF mud slinging….[Guardian]
Can the unions save Labour?
Gregor Gall provides an even-handed analysis of the Warwick II agreement. [Guardian]
Daniel Howden: The world's most important political project
A reminder of the importance of
Click here for an introduction to Mr Grimsdale, King Heron and Mobius
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