I'm surprised the BBC television news channel found time to cover any international affairs yesterday, as it seemed to have been transformed into a sports station, or rather a commercial football channel. So let me remind trust board members than many of us wish that FIFA, along with professional football in general, would disappear permanently up their large rear orifice. Having got this off my chest, I do feel that the FIFA president's question during yesterday's "very important" press conference -"not a bazaar" as he informed the media - is one which needs tackling.
So let me focus on Britain's local democratic deficit, and ask why so many major planning inquiries are held in football stadia. In the good old days, these events typically took place in city and town halls, although I attended one in the august surrounds of the Old Royal Military Academy at Woolwich (later redeveloped). The apparent closeness of the Planning Inspectorate and local authorities to commercial football, itself the source of some controversial development applications, is precisely the kind of professional relationship which raises concerns amongst those who suspect officials, if not of actual corruption, then of collusion with business interests.
The fact that most large councils have now entered the social media arena also raises important issues of accountability and, inevitably, funding, as highlighted in the case of South Tyneside Council and a Tweeter called Mr Monkey over the weekend. This English local authority has pursued Mr Monkey through the Californian legal system and gained access to his Twitter account, along with that of an independent councillor, all for less than US$100k (or was that £s Sterling ?) according to a council spokesman. That people should feel the need to resort to anonymous blogging to make claims against council officials indicates that if English local democracy, to quote FIFA president,is "not in crisis...we are in some difficulties".
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Saturday, May 28, 2011
SHARON SHOESMITH AND BABY PETER
Whilst this blog generally tries to steer clear of "children, schools and families", the case of Sharon Shoesmith is so important that, on this occasion, I feel the need to wade in.
Although usually unsympathetic to the highly-paid social bureaucrat, I do think that Ms Shoesmith became the victim of a political game of football between Gordon Brown and David Cameron in the final years of New Labour. There are important differences between accountability and media fuelled witch hunts of the kind to which Ms Shoesmith fell victim. Yesterday's court judgement has recognised this.
The cases of Sharon Shoesmith, the former head of education and social services in the London Borough of Haringey, and Baby Peter, the child neglected, abused, and finally killed by the adults who supposedly cared for him, raises a range of issues which need to be considered separately.
Firstly, the creation of a super-department for children, schools and families presided over by Ed Balls was a mistake. Social care fits better with health than education, and it was ultimately the medical profession that failed Baby Peter, whose serious injuries were left undiagnosed, rather than his social workers.
Secondly, as secretary of state Balls was wrong to intervene personally in having Ms Shoesmith sacked. The failures of her council department in managing education and social services were, after all, partly a consequence of the flawed government re-organisation led by him.
Thirdly, the strong tendency under New Labour for power in public sector organisations to concentrate in the hands of a relatively small number of highly-paid officials has ultimately made effective day-to-day hands-on management virtually impossible. Much flatter and more accountable structures are required, with remuneration which reflects this.
Finally, the previous government adopted what can only be described as a naive approach to children, parenting and families, and it looks very much like the present administration will continue this. Whist Balls, Brown, and Cameron are all, I am sure, excellent parents, many people are not. It might well behove governments, therefore, to recognise this in the benefit system and actively discourage those likely to be unsuited to parenthood from having children.
Although usually unsympathetic to the highly-paid social bureaucrat, I do think that Ms Shoesmith became the victim of a political game of football between Gordon Brown and David Cameron in the final years of New Labour. There are important differences between accountability and media fuelled witch hunts of the kind to which Ms Shoesmith fell victim. Yesterday's court judgement has recognised this.
The cases of Sharon Shoesmith, the former head of education and social services in the London Borough of Haringey, and Baby Peter, the child neglected, abused, and finally killed by the adults who supposedly cared for him, raises a range of issues which need to be considered separately.
Firstly, the creation of a super-department for children, schools and families presided over by Ed Balls was a mistake. Social care fits better with health than education, and it was ultimately the medical profession that failed Baby Peter, whose serious injuries were left undiagnosed, rather than his social workers.
Secondly, as secretary of state Balls was wrong to intervene personally in having Ms Shoesmith sacked. The failures of her council department in managing education and social services were, after all, partly a consequence of the flawed government re-organisation led by him.
Thirdly, the strong tendency under New Labour for power in public sector organisations to concentrate in the hands of a relatively small number of highly-paid officials has ultimately made effective day-to-day hands-on management virtually impossible. Much flatter and more accountable structures are required, with remuneration which reflects this.
Finally, the previous government adopted what can only be described as a naive approach to children, parenting and families, and it looks very much like the present administration will continue this. Whist Balls, Brown, and Cameron are all, I am sure, excellent parents, many people are not. It might well behove governments, therefore, to recognise this in the benefit system and actively discourage those likely to be unsuited to parenthood from having children.
Thursday, May 26, 2011
HENRY KISSINGER ON CHINA THEN AND NOW
Rana Mitter's BBC Radio 3 Night Waves interview with former US Secretary of State Dr Kenry Kissinger was well worth tuning into, albeit that Mitter's questioning was rather loud and Kissinger's replies rather quiet.The interview on China, also the name of a book which Kissinger has just had published on this subject, focused on the Mao Zedong years, although there were also some rather chilling comments on current US-China relations.
Asked by Mitter if he was an admirer of Mao Zedong, Kissinger responded that he admired the former Chinese leader's grasp of strategy, both at home and in international affairs, but deplored the oppression and genocides of Mao's regime.
However, although Mao is widely regarded as one of the architects of modern China, Kissinger said that he and his contemporaries in the early 1970s could not have imagined the magnitude of the country's transformation over the next twenty five years.
The interview sounded a cautionary note about the future of US-China relations, with references to Britain and Germany in the early twentieth century. Let's hope the current G8 Summit meeting in France keeps this in mind.
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
OECD - SOME BAD NEWS AND SOME GOOD
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development has today warned of the threat of global stagflation due to rising commodity prices and slower than expected growth.This comes at the same time as the the OECD publishes a major report entitled "Towards Green Growth", which is upbeat on the potential of sustainable development to tackle global economic and other problems whilst meeting environmental sustainability criteria. Monitoring and delivery mechanisms are also identified.
The good news and the bad has particular relevance for China, the engine of the world economy, whose growth forecast for this year has been downgraded by the OECD.
A report released by the Chinese government in 2006 revealed that roughly 3% of the country's annual GDP had been offset by economic loss through environmental degradation - a figure than some think is too conservative (Nature 448, 2007).
The key issue is whether "green growth" - an oxymoron for many environmentalists - can become a reality, and within a realistic timescale. Political interventions will be essential, and the OECD has highlighted the use of government bonds as a core funding mechanism for developing renewables and other green technologies.
Monday, May 23, 2011
From Tabloid Paradise To Green Utopias & More....
The past week or so has been something of a golden age for the tabloid press and sections of the new media, as diplomatic and legal channels are by-passed and the crimes and misdemeanors of the powerful and famous laid bare.
However, the visit of the US President (O'Bama in Ireland) to the British Isles, along with a new ash cloud, will, I trust, return a more serious spin to current affairs.
I've decided that the present may be a good time to revisit some Green Utopias - of which Hawaii, the Emerald Isle, and, indeed, our very own Albion might claim to be three - and shall be exploring these through the medium of the blogosphere in the coming weeks.
As the dominant discourse is dystopian, I shall also be spending time on the dark side, and offer some exegesis on the duality of apocalyptic predictions from various perspectives.
The first installment of this exploration - Green Utopias Revisited - can be found @ http://woodwose.wordpress.com/
However, the visit of the US President (O'Bama in Ireland) to the British Isles, along with a new ash cloud, will, I trust, return a more serious spin to current affairs.
I've decided that the present may be a good time to revisit some Green Utopias - of which Hawaii, the Emerald Isle, and, indeed, our very own Albion might claim to be three - and shall be exploring these through the medium of the blogosphere in the coming weeks.
As the dominant discourse is dystopian, I shall also be spending time on the dark side, and offer some exegesis on the duality of apocalyptic predictions from various perspectives.
The first installment of this exploration - Green Utopias Revisited - can be found @ http://woodwose.wordpress.com/
Friday, May 20, 2011
ENERGY CONSERVATION AND RENEWABLES
Jeremy Leggett, the founder and chairman of company Solarcentury, has made some of the most sensible comments on "the greenest government ever" during the past week.Whilst welcoming the Coalition's new targets for cuts in UK carbon emissions by 2025, Mr Leggett has also pointed out the present government's "emerging record" on the environment is "actually starting to look worse than their predecessors"(Cameron falls short on his green promise, Financial Times, 18 May 2011).
Meanwhile, Japan is still coming to terms with the consequences of nuclear disaster, including major electricity shortages. Energy conservation is now regarded as one of the country's most important tasks, along with harnessing plentiful geothermal power opportunities.
For renewables to make a contribution to energy production of the scale aspired to by the non-nuclear green movement, the starting point is cleary conservation, something their recent great misfortune has brought home to the Japanese.
The development of renewables then has to be locationally-appropriate, something which has not fully registered with promoters, largely due to the availability of inappropriate financial incentives.
In addition, a truly renewable energy future would depend on unprecedented international co-operation, with energy transmission supergrids deployed to distribute power from different regions of the globe according to the availability of supply and demand.
These are the sorts of issues which politicians, policy-makers, those concerned with implementation as well as the media should be headlining. Instead we have the much-feted "Jam Tomorrow Generation" (see my post of 11 May) fiddling as usual whilst the planet burns.
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
WELCOME TO CAFE ROCCO !
As we live in serious times, I've opted for something sweeter on the menu today and would extend an invitation to Cafe Rocco @ www.caferocco.com
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
THE JAM TOMORROW GENERATION SURELY
Whilst I generally find Anne McElvoy's radio broadcasts interesting and perceptive, I can't say this of her current BBC Radio 4 series on "The Jam Generation".
As someone who attended a superb Jam concert at Finsbury Park's old Rainbow venue - subsequently a centre for radical Islam - in the cold winter of 1980, I find myself with very little in common with the people of her "Jam Generation".
These are politicians who "came of age" during the period of unsustainable economic growth between the early 1990s and 2007, and include the present prime minister, his deputy and key people from New Labour like shadow chancellor Ed Balls.
When I left the same university as Balls in 1983, the thought of being a "leader writer for the Financial Times at the age of twenty-two" would have been beyond my wildest dreams.
Instead self-employment and economic migration led me to my own"jihad" - in its true meaning of "struggle" - and I returned to Britain to fight "The War on Traffic" through legal channels.
With regard to Ann McElvoy's later generation of politicians, surely these are best collectively summed in words attributed to Tony Benn: "Some of the jam* we thought was for tomorrow, we've already eaten".
*PS - Jam might serve as an analogy to finite resources such as oil.
As someone who attended a superb Jam concert at Finsbury Park's old Rainbow venue - subsequently a centre for radical Islam - in the cold winter of 1980, I find myself with very little in common with the people of her "Jam Generation".
These are politicians who "came of age" during the period of unsustainable economic growth between the early 1990s and 2007, and include the present prime minister, his deputy and key people from New Labour like shadow chancellor Ed Balls.
When I left the same university as Balls in 1983, the thought of being a "leader writer for the Financial Times at the age of twenty-two" would have been beyond my wildest dreams.
Instead self-employment and economic migration led me to my own"jihad" - in its true meaning of "struggle" - and I returned to Britain to fight "The War on Traffic" through legal channels.
With regard to Ann McElvoy's later generation of politicians, surely these are best collectively summed in words attributed to Tony Benn: "Some of the jam* we thought was for tomorrow, we've already eaten".
*PS - Jam might serve as an analogy to finite resources such as oil.
Saturday, May 07, 2011
THE PROGRESSIVE POLITICS SPECTRUM
Some of the most perceptive political commentary in recent years has come, on the left, from the music journalist John Harris for the Guardian, and, on the right, from Mail columnist and theatre critic Quentin Letts.
Yesterday, Harris bemoaned the absence of a progressive majority in the British electorate, reflected in their rejection of AV, and Letts attacked the Left's use of the word progressive in political discourse.
In fact, the local elections did demonstrate progressive tendencies, of the sort which Harris and Letts should approve, in the removal of the BNP from Stoke-on-Trent Council (which is now Labour-controlled), the performance of the Green Party, and the success of "It's Our County" in Letts's home turf of Herefordshire.
As my own politics are somewhere between those of Harris and Letts, I can, however, both sympathise with the view there is a progressive deficit in British politics, and accept that this can be viewed from the left, right, and, indeed, the centre ground.
The general consensus seems to be that Whitehall government is remote and something needs to be done about this, so it behoves politicians of all parties and commentators of all colours to discourse on just what this might be.
Yesterday, Harris bemoaned the absence of a progressive majority in the British electorate, reflected in their rejection of AV, and Letts attacked the Left's use of the word progressive in political discourse.
In fact, the local elections did demonstrate progressive tendencies, of the sort which Harris and Letts should approve, in the removal of the BNP from Stoke-on-Trent Council (which is now Labour-controlled), the performance of the Green Party, and the success of "It's Our County" in Letts's home turf of Herefordshire.
As my own politics are somewhere between those of Harris and Letts, I can, however, both sympathise with the view there is a progressive deficit in British politics, and accept that this can be viewed from the left, right, and, indeed, the centre ground.
The general consensus seems to be that Whitehall government is remote and something needs to be done about this, so it behoves politicians of all parties and commentators of all colours to discourse on just what this might be.
Friday, May 06, 2011
BRITAIN AND THE POLITICS OF PLURALISM
As my post of today will cover elections in the United Kingdom, I would just like to re-iterate that this blog is not wedded to a political party, nor intends to hitch its commentary wagon to any at the present time. Although events could, of course, change this situation.
Hopefully, the overall election outcome will serve the equilibrium of the British political ecosystem, and confirm the plurality of our national politics. In this respect, it can be regarded as progressive, whatever the particular fate of the "Alternative Vote".
As someone who voted Liberal Democrat in the General Election and still support a Coalition Government, I'm naturally sorry for the party's performance.
However, the AV issue came up too early in the political term, and distracted Lib Dems in government from more burning issues. I voted "No", incidentally.
The environment is for me one of those burning issues, literally as it unfortunately transpires, and the present Government has certainly not lived up to its promise of being the greenest ever.
With regard to the performance of Labour, the party should be congratulated on its success in the English and Welsh elections.
From my own experience, I have to support the generalisation that Labour runs local and regional government better than the Conservatives - although I'm open-minded on the London question just now - whilst the Tories run the country better.
"Ken Livingstone of the North", Alex Salmond has obviously been a clear winner. The victory of the SNP is also a testimony to the ongoing remoteness of London-based government.
The apparent continuing semi-detachment of Westminster from the rest of the country would have made a referendum on an English National Assembly more meaningful than one on AV.
Hopefully, the overall election outcome will serve the equilibrium of the British political ecosystem, and confirm the plurality of our national politics. In this respect, it can be regarded as progressive, whatever the particular fate of the "Alternative Vote".
As someone who voted Liberal Democrat in the General Election and still support a Coalition Government, I'm naturally sorry for the party's performance.
However, the AV issue came up too early in the political term, and distracted Lib Dems in government from more burning issues. I voted "No", incidentally.
The environment is for me one of those burning issues, literally as it unfortunately transpires, and the present Government has certainly not lived up to its promise of being the greenest ever.
With regard to the performance of Labour, the party should be congratulated on its success in the English and Welsh elections.
From my own experience, I have to support the generalisation that Labour runs local and regional government better than the Conservatives - although I'm open-minded on the London question just now - whilst the Tories run the country better.
"Ken Livingstone of the North", Alex Salmond has obviously been a clear winner. The victory of the SNP is also a testimony to the ongoing remoteness of London-based government.
The apparent continuing semi-detachment of Westminster from the rest of the country would have made a referendum on an English National Assembly more meaningful than one on AV.
Wednesday, May 04, 2011
EVENTS, DEAR BOYS AND GIRLS, EVENTS !
I realise that my last post of April was guilty of some gender bias, and want to rectify this today.
A few years ago, I possibly offended a former male friend by quoting Harold Macmillan's "Events dear boy, events" in response to an email. We haven't been in contact since, but the reality is that our mutual life narratives had diverged some years before.
Nevertheless, as this particular friendship was an important one for a time I want to acknowledge it by considering the relationship between narratives and events now.
The British, and particularly the English, narrative frequently takes the form of a costume drama, of which the recent Royal Wedding is a fine example.
By contrast, the American psyche seems to prefer the action movie, especially with Western references. The killing of the outlaw Bin Laden reflects this.
Given that one set of events followed so fast upon the other, David Cameron must be reflecting that a weekend is a long time in global politics.
On the home front, what might tomorrow's events - namely elections covering local government in England, the devolved administrations of Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, and the Alternative Vote - hold for the Prime Minister ?
I would suggest that Mr Cameron might wish to consider the portent of last week's Royal Wedding runaway horse. On AV, a win for first past the post might result in Chris Huhne chucking Nick Clegg and bolting off to the Labour Camp.
With regard to "The Scottish Play", but not the one seen earlier this week by Prince Charles, Alex Salmond is likely to the overall winner.
Nevertheless, whilst for Macmillan "events" might be the worst thing that could happen to a government, I'm personally more upbeat about their consequences for these reasons.
The departure of Chris Huhne would, after all, enable the Coalition Government to wider its appeal by offering Caroline Lucas of the UK Green Party the position of Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change.
A Huhne cohabitation with the Labour Party might also enable leader Ed Miliband to deal with Comrade Balls, which would undoubtedly contribute to the well-being of the nation's political ecology.
Yes, events, dear boys and girls, may be for the better as well as for the worse !
A few years ago, I possibly offended a former male friend by quoting Harold Macmillan's "Events dear boy, events" in response to an email. We haven't been in contact since, but the reality is that our mutual life narratives had diverged some years before.
Nevertheless, as this particular friendship was an important one for a time I want to acknowledge it by considering the relationship between narratives and events now.
The British, and particularly the English, narrative frequently takes the form of a costume drama, of which the recent Royal Wedding is a fine example.
By contrast, the American psyche seems to prefer the action movie, especially with Western references. The killing of the outlaw Bin Laden reflects this.
Given that one set of events followed so fast upon the other, David Cameron must be reflecting that a weekend is a long time in global politics.
On the home front, what might tomorrow's events - namely elections covering local government in England, the devolved administrations of Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, and the Alternative Vote - hold for the Prime Minister ?
I would suggest that Mr Cameron might wish to consider the portent of last week's Royal Wedding runaway horse. On AV, a win for first past the post might result in Chris Huhne chucking Nick Clegg and bolting off to the Labour Camp.
With regard to "The Scottish Play", but not the one seen earlier this week by Prince Charles, Alex Salmond is likely to the overall winner.
Nevertheless, whilst for Macmillan "events" might be the worst thing that could happen to a government, I'm personally more upbeat about their consequences for these reasons.
The departure of Chris Huhne would, after all, enable the Coalition Government to wider its appeal by offering Caroline Lucas of the UK Green Party the position of Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change.
A Huhne cohabitation with the Labour Party might also enable leader Ed Miliband to deal with Comrade Balls, which would undoubtedly contribute to the well-being of the nation's political ecology.
Yes, events, dear boys and girls, may be for the better as well as for the worse !
Monday, May 02, 2011
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