GuidoFawkes reports that there were cheers in dealing rooms throughout the City today at the rumour that Brown had resigned… the rumours were false and Downing Street had to put out a statement that the Prime Minister was ‘getting on with the job’. Cabinet shuffle coming… will anyone want to be in it?.. and how long can Brown last? Friday? Sunday night / Monday morning?
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Dealing room cheers at Brown going… but false rumour!…
4th June: News up on Insite Law
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4th June: News up on Insite Law
So with the predictability of “Phew Wot a Scorcha” on the year’s hottest day being the headline in The Sun – today, as the sun shone, Britain’s men went down to B&Q, Homebase or their local garage forecourt, like stampeding Wildebeest, to purchase a device that would allow them to run their own private crematorium. Barbecue Man is BACK! Barbecue Man is not, necessarily, a stupid man – for this particular affliction crosses class and intelligence divides. For some men it even puts them in the same species as the rest of us. Doctors, writing in The Lancet , say that the patient presents with minor second degree burns, often red scorch marks on his forehead and nose and with respiratory problems from breathing in kerosene soaked wood smoke. In extreme cases the patient suffers from the delusion that he can cook. I can, and do, cook. I enjoy cooking. I even watch chefery programmes on TV. A lot of men I know cannot cook. In a world where restaurants are closed, they would die. Why these men who preside over their new toy, usually dressed in an absurd apron, think that kerosene soaked wood infusing a cremated steak or horrendous frozen burger burnt beyond napalm on the outside, raw inside, is going to appeal, I do not know. Charles Darwin is silent on the matter. I have attended barbecues where these men are cooking. I simply say to them as they call us out to dinner… “Just chuck mine into the fire… I’m into recycling.” I continue writing the world’s longest Blawg Review… it will be published on the stroke of midnight on Sunday night/Monday morning… if I am still sober.
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Barbecue man returns… argghhhhh….
Normally I steer clear of the heavier alcohol content wines but the other evening, doing my duty for my country and my new ‘career’ as a wine reviewer, I found myself working at my laptop and a bottle of Spier ‘Private Collection’ Stellenbosch Shiraz, 2005 from South Africa happened to be open on my right. I enjoy South African reds. They often have strong nose, a bit of leg and taste good. Unfortunately, I did not check the alcohol content (15.5% – I rarely do). This wine didn’t just have legs. This wine played for the Springboks in the second row, had legs of thunder and a kick to match. A delicious wine that made me ever more amused with life until I got up to answer nature’s call. I realised that I had been drinking when I staggered into the bathroom and saw an apparition before me, Vercingetorix mustache bristling, eyes wide and smiling. In fact, I will confess that I was singing the chorus from The Village People’s GO WEST at this stage. A fine wine indeed, but perhaps not a whole bottle on a modest meal of raw prawns and bean salad. Fortunately, ASDA sell it at £13.98 and I shall be buying some more very soon. For those of you who enjoy your wine being compared to christmas cakes – I can tell you that the wine is dark red in colour, heading towards plum, lightly spiced, perhaps a bit of cinnamon and had a smooth texture and after taste. I could not taste any leather rugby ball – but it was probably in there somewhere. Spier Private Collection Shiraz, 2005 ASDA £13.98 (15.5% vol) Stars: ****
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Your head may fall off…
26th May: News, law reports, latest from the blogs – up on Insite Law
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26th May: News, law reports, latest from the blogs – up on Insite Law
As the slot was still available – I am pleased to report that Ed of Blawg Review has allowed me to host Blawg Review on 1st June. As it happens, many interesting things happened on the 1st June in history including, would you believe, in 1812, a US president asked Congress for approval to declare war on the United Kingdom. It was also the date on which the smoking ban came into force in 20007 in England. So.. as you can imagine, this will allow me to encourage all bloggers to take up Smokedo – Smoke yourself fit with Charon … it is working for me. Soon, I shall paint myself green… and I will get that seat on the train when I leave Victoria late at the end of one of my journeys to get over refreshed with mates in London. Watch the movie
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Blawg Review 1 June
It is Towel Day on Monday 25th in memory of Douglas Adams and his timeless classic Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy . I met him briefly in the early eighties – his wife, Jane, was a good friend of mine – a barrister and a very good law teacher. So… I have no difficulty at all in supporting this worthy memorial. CyberLaw Central is hosting Blawg Review on that day – and it will, I am sure, be a good one! If you are a blogger - get your pics with towels over to CyberLaw Central . If you aren’t a blogger but would like to send me your towel pic… I’ll put them up on my blog for the edification of the known universe. I do apologise for my pic – I had had a few the night before and ‘just out of the shower’ is not one of my best angles. This is why I do AUDIO podcasts and not vids. Email pics to me?
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Towel Day in memory of Douglas Adams
News, law reports and comment up on Insite Law. I am particularly interested in hearing from practitioners, academics and students on the issues raised in Two Tribes go to War below. Please add your thoughts if you have time / inclination.
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22nd May: Insite Law news up
The end of the beginning… the beginning of the end? The Speaker has gone.. Long live The Speaker. Michael Martin stepped down before the Cleggian ‘Death by a thousand cuts’ in a selfless act of self immolation to unite Parliament. With his departure the MPs are now speculating on who will be the next Speaker and will drag the new Speaker to the Chair on or shortly after 22 June. Finkelstein, however, wants to ban MPs from betting on this. History was made yesterday – but will Parliament take the opportunity to change, to reform? Michael Brown MP writes: “Future A-level history students will be answering questions not only about the Long Parliament and the Rump Parliament, but also about the “Moat” Parliament (otherwise perhaps known as the “Manure” Parliament) presided over by Speaker Martin – the first Speaker to be forcibly removed from office in 300 years.” Andrew Grice, also of The Independent suggests that the Westminister Gentleman’s Club is dead and the power of the men in tights is coming to ane end. The Leaders of all the principal parties will now move to discipline members who have broken the rules. Is this the return of the Star Chamber ? Not literally, of course – but the Conservative ‘Scrutiny’ committee and Brown’s.. ‘whatever it gets to be called Tribunal’ will, surely, have to pass judgment on those who have erred? One small difficulty that Brown faces, of course, is that his own Chief Whip has a bit of a problem with food expense claims running at £21 a day for some years (£18,000 in total) according to some reports. the Whip’s Office is, of course, responsible for internal discipline. Will we see the departure of leading ministers? Hoon and Blears, for example? The Justice Minister who resigned last week may well be among those put to the Sword. The Speaker has gone and will be replaced. This is only the end of the beginning. What follows now – and quickly – may shape our democracy perhaps more even than the now largely irrelevant Magna Carta. *** Major update on Insite Law Geeklawyer on ‘This filth thinks he is above the law’ | Other blog posts noted | All the most impportant law news | Profession update | law reports… and more…
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The end of the beginning… the beginning of the end?
News and updates to law reports, profession and blogs is up on Insite Law Is there a danger that democracy is being undermined? Over the past week or so, The Telegraph has drip fed revelation after revelation about MP expense excesses; whipping up a frenzy of public ridicule and even a degree of hatred for those who have most abused the system. Bloggers, including myself, have had a bit of sport and that is fair enough – but there are dangers that democracy is being undermined by this fiasco and, certainly, the pressure on the PM, ministers and members of parliament, is such that one wonders whether the business of actually running the country, running the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan et al , is suffering. Guido Fawkes has suggested that people can punish MPs in the forthcoming elections by voting for fringe parties; suggesting the Green Party, Libertas and UKIP as possible alternatives. I do not know if he is being serious, or care that much. I’m certainly not going to vote for these parties simply because I am not persuaded by their ability to run the country any better than the present crew. For my part, the leaders of the three principal parties have to sort the mess out and put their houses and the House in order. Last night I talked to Tom Harris MP, the Labour MP for Glasgow South, who gave direct and thoughtful answers to my questions about the expenses issue, The Speaker’s position, whether we will get an early general election – as David Cameron has called for and the ‘public’ (whoever they are) have called for. The podcast is 20 minutes long and if you have the time and inclination it is worth listening to . One thing is certain – and MPs are falling over themselves to apologise and agree – change must come; but we must have in place a system of sensible, realistic and adequate remuneration and reimbursement for expenses wholly, necessarily and exclusively related to the important work MPs do if we are to have a viable Government and Opposition made up of men and women with the intellect, the experience and the spirit to run the country on our behalf. The Metropolitan Police Commissioner has stated that he is prepared to investigate cases of wrongdoing and it may be, in time, that those who have broken the rules with outright fraud, as opposed to a misinterpretation of what appears to have been a rulebook based on what Tom Harris calls a ‘culture of entitlement’, will be held to account. We shall see. Do listen to the podcast with Tom Harris MP (Below), whatever your political persuasion, if you have the time – he makes some good and measured points Editor pick of the day 19th May 2009 Head of Legal : The Speaker – wholly inadequate Geeklawyer: Geeklawyer speaks: The Speaker must go “… it looks as though an ex-SAS hero may have been crucial as an intermediary in spilling the beans on the expenses horror.” Editor Mike SP Email On this day… 19th May 1536 – Anne Boleyn , the second wife of Henry VIII of England , is beheaded for adultery , treason , and incest . 1649 – An Act declaring England a Commonwealth is passed by the Long Parliament . England would be a republic for the next eleven years 1568 – Queen Elizabeth I of England has Mary Queen of Scots arrested.
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Is there a danger that democracy is being undermined?
