Tim may not be doing shower gags…

But I am…

It seems that no local election is complete without its rumours and suggestions of dubious political dealings and local skullduggery, and the current word on the local grapevine is that, in one ward in Sandwell, this upcoming election may do very nicely when it comes to fitting the bill.

The ward in question is Oldbury, which is part of the West Bromwich West constituency that… - Continue Reading...

In which Guido discovers the old adage that ‘those who live by the sword…’

Blogger ‘Guido Fawkes’ is led off to the Tower

Off to the rack with him! The waspish Westminster blogger “Guido Fawkes”, who is devoted to making life uncomfortable for political trough-guzzlers, joins his historical namesake in finding himself at the sharp end of the legal system.

Lobbyists, aides and parliamentarians from

… - Continue Reading...

‘When I use a word,’ Humpty Dumpty said, in a rather scornful tone,’ it means just what I choose it to mean, neither more nor less.”The question is,’ said Alice, ‘whether you can make words mean so many different things.’

‘The question is,’ said Humpty Dumpty, ‘which is to be master – that’s all.’

Lewis Carroll – Through the Looking Glass

“I have always… - Continue Reading...

Over the weekend I was asked to write a short article for Index on Censorship as part of a point/counterpoint commentary on UCL’s decision to sever all links with Dr Nicholas Kollerstrom.

You can see what I had to say on the subject here – I’m backing UCL, as you might expect – together with those of Brendan O’Neill, taking the opposing viewpoint,… - Continue Reading...

For an all too brief moment I thought that Mad Nad might be gearing up for a startling admission:

When on TV, It’s ok to argue your point as hard as you wish, and to use evidence and statistics to back that point up.

It’s not ok to lie.

What? Is this to be a belated mea culpa from Dorries?

No, of course not.… - Continue Reading...

Is it just me or is Eric Pickles rapidly turning into the male version of Nadine Dorries?

The Tories have issued a St George’s Day rallying cry against plans by Brussels to “wipe England off the map” and create a United Europe.

As Gordon Brown hoisted the English national flag over 10 Downing Street to celebrate St George’s Day, it was revealed that

… - Continue Reading...

Apropos of my last post on the subject of the ONS’s new Integrated Household Survey, I posed the question of where, exactly, the Tory’s Shadow Communities Secretary, Eric Pickles, intended to obtain statistical information to support the policy making process in his department were he to ever find himself in government if not from the work of the ONS.

Well, today, I can answer that… - Continue Reading...

The degeneration of the once mighty Daily Telegraph into a fucking comic continues apace:

Government to quiz households on sex lives and salaries

More than 500,000 people a year are to be questioned about their sex lives and salaries by Government inspectors, it has emerged.

Officials will ask for information about former sexual partners, contraception and how long couples have lived together before getting married.

… - Continue Reading...

Dr Nicholas Kollerstrom

22 April 2008

UCL has been made aware of views expressed by Dr Nicholas Kollerstrom, an Honorary Research Fellow in UCL Science & Technology Studies.

The position of Honorary Research Fellow is a privilege bestowed by departments within UCL on researchers with whom it wishes to have an association. It is not an employed position.

The views expressed by Dr Kollerstrom are… - Continue Reading...