The Nationalisation of Northern Rock

News that Northern Rock is to be nationalised does not come as a surprise. There was a certain inevitability about yesterday's announcement. The prospect of an increasing number of "uncommercial" ventures having to be bailed out by the UK Government also looms. This Government's own over-optimistic faith in the god of economic growth, together with poor regulation of the economy, are the root causes of the present predicament. But would a change of government save the situation ? As one yet to be convinced by the "substance", as distinct from "spin", of the other political parties, I doubt it.

PS The following article pretty much sums up my take on Northern Rock :

"Life on Mars: Brown and Darling go back to the 70s
Richard Hunter, head of UK equities, Hargreaves Lansdown
February 18 2008

It seems the retro-fashion for all things 1970s has now extended to the corridors of Whitehall.

The decision to nationalise (albeit temporarily) Northern Rock is one that will not have been taken lightly and it may yet prove - although by no means guaranteed - to have been the "least worst" option, to use what has become Northern Rock's catchphrase.

In the 1970s, a number of faltering British companies were taken back into public ownership in an effort to revive their fortunes. Rolls-Royce in 1971 (subsequent privatisation did not take place until 1987), British Leyland and British Aerospace were among those nationalised, with the likes of the banking arm of Johnson Matthey following on in the 1980s.

In the mid to late 1980s, the trend was reversed with the Conservative government's decision to privatise a number of businesses in an attempt to promote wider share ownership, which saw the likes of British Telecom, British Gas and British Airways becoming quoted companies".

A Non-Elected Chancellor of the Exchequer ?

There were murmurings on the radio this morning about the prospect of a Cabinet re-shuffle. I thought we'd just had one (see below). Of course this may have gone unnoticed by some !

The current Chancellor of the Exchequer was identified as someone on the transfer list, with Ed ("I've got the") Balls named as a possible successor. I won't repeat my views on Balls.

Personally, I might favour a Non-Elected Chancellor, following the precedent of Lord Digby de B'rm. Now let me think....Richard Branson and Virgin Treasury Services perhaps. Ho, Ho, Ho !

Core Incompetences have Serious Consequences

Today's resignation of Peter Hain MP may have come as a surprise to his colleagues. The holder of two offices of state, Work and Pensions together with Wales, the career of Mr Hain seemed on upward spiral. No doubt he'll be back, but let his immediate fate be a reminder to holders of high office, that core incompetences have serious consequences !

Ken's Kitchen Cabinet : A Case of Pot & Kettle ?*

* In an old saying, the pot stands accused of calling the kettle black.

I'm going to continue with the culinary theme in this reflection on the politics of Ken Livingstone's "Kitchen Cabinet". Ken was, of course, once a restaurant critic for his now hated London Standard.

Unfortunately I missed Channel 4's "Dispatches" programme the other evening about "The Court of Ken". However, the Radio 4 Today show has covered some of the issues raised by Dispatches, and this morning The Mayor of London was on air to answer some of these.

Quite a lot of attention, it seems, has fallen on the activities of one Lee Jasper, whom I seem to remember (from my London days) advises the Mayor on race relations and police matters.

It also seems that Mr Jasper has had a major falling out with former journalist Trevor Phillips, previously head of the Commission for Race Equality (CRE) and now Chair of the Equalities and Human Rights Commission.

I should say, incidentally, that, like many people, I feel that Britain is a less equal place than it was, say, during the days of Ken Livingstone's earlier incarnation as Leader of the Greater London Council, and the status of human rights may also have declined during the same period.

It may also be the case that the "Race Relations Industry", as many people call it, has acquired something of the daftness and general excesses of the Old Labour trade unions, with deep simmering enmities, which occasionally boil over.

Now not so long ago, probably during the latter days of the CRE, Trevor Phillips was also on the Radio 4 Today Programme, responding to charges of media manipulation on race (? and religious) issues by, I think, Mr Jasper.

Mr Phillips responded with reference to the case of "the pot and the kettle" (using these or similar words), meaning that the Mayor of London's Office (capable of, in my view, more spin than the spin cycle on a washing machine) was hardly "white" itself on matters of media manipulation.

Funny how old sayings strike a cord missing
In these contemporary storms in a teacup...
I could go on.... but hear the kettle hissing !

New ! Political Celebrity Kitchen Sink Drama

Has that onetime demi-god of New Labour become its unholy fool ? Yes, I'm talking about the Schools/Children's Secretary Ed Balls again. Whilst the world's financial kitchens (or should that be markets) were in turmoil, the one time Chief Secretary to the Treasury was in the news talking about the spaghetti sauce, stir fries and simple curries that every English school child should know how to cook. However, when pressed about the state of the British economy, he seemed to have gone off the boil, answering without the sauce (or should that be balls ?) we've come to expect of Ed. My guess is that that he's preparing for one of those reality TV shows which keep politicians past their sell-buy date going. I'm looking forward to Ed's double act with his missus, Housing Minister Yvette Cooper. Now that would be a real Kitchen Sink Drama. Perhaps I'll do a treatment for the show.

The Balls of St Trinians ?

I see that the well-known educational institution of St Trinians has received a cinematic revamp. In the light of recent government announcements, perhaps a sequel called "The Balls of St Trinians" is called for. It's time these New Labour types were treated with the laughter and derision they merit. Do I feel another seasonal e-pantomime approaching ?

We Don't Need No Education Secretary.....

Just as the performance of Britain's school education system is looking rather shaky : ie no better, and on some indicators worse than it was pre-1997, the supposed Schools (Education) Secretary seems to have disappeared. Ed Balls is now, it seems, Secretary of State for Children and Families, with a portfolio majoring on "play" and especially ball games. Santa, please bring me some of Ed's new sparkling balls, so that I can stick them on my seasonal tree ! Oh yes, and if the BBC don't get more critical of all this bollocks, I'll start to think that the Panamanians are running British public media.

People who can't remember anything before 2000

The present case of a man who claims not to remember anything that happened to him before the year 2000 comes as no surprise to me whatsoever. It seems that many people involved in economic management, planning, and housing have this problem. Personally, I'm looking forward to the day Yvette Cooper buys a house in Panama, and husband Ed Balls disappears only to return with feigned memory loss of anything he did before 2000 (or more recently perhaps). I'm sure, however, that both will have some difficult questions to answer at some point in their lives.

Planning, Propaganda and the Politics of Meltdown

Back in 1999 I became aware that there was a certain Stalinist tendency within the "New Labour Project" with aspirations to demolish and re-construct the planning system. Since then, a large number of announcements to this effect have ensued, and, fortunately, rather less action. Yes, there is indeed a certain ineptitude about "The Project" which can usually be relied upon.
The question then arises as to whether the latest set of proposals for the planning system, new power generation and transport infrastructure etc will be subject to the same sort of systemic problems. My guess is yes, they will. Moreover, I suggest something of a meltdown may now be on the cards, and I'm not talking about nuclear power, but perhaps something more akin to the bathos of recent references to Mr Bean.

Carry on Darling, This is Ed's Balls Up !

I find myself in the rare position of offering my support to the Chancellor of the Exchequer today. There may be systemic failures in the way this Government manages the economy and their internal communications, but neither the Chancellor nor the former head of HM Revenues and Customs should have to fall on their swords over these. If any heads should roll, they should be those of "teflon types" like the awful Ed Balls. As former Chancellor Brown's "Representative on Earth" Balls was, after all, instrumental in paving the way for the present debacle.It is,therefore, ironic/appropriate (depending upon your point of view !) that the current crisis should involve child benefit payment records, when Balls like to style himself "The Children's Secretary" (and, yes, he does look like a big fat school boy !).

Some Personal Reflections on Long (& Short) Haul Travel

I've made 2 visits to the United States : the first to New York State in 1978; and the second to California in 1991. Both were of a short duration (ie a fortnight or so), and involved family business and visits to friends, rather than pure tourism. My visit to New York also extended to a further few weeks in the Caribbean, taking in short stays on Grand Bahama and Aruba. Between 1984-5, I took a rather longer "working holiday" to Australia, incorporating a "stop-over" in the Philippines on the way out, and an unintended (but nevertheless interesting and enjoyable) stay in Papua New Guinea. These, other than some back-backing in Israel and Egypt, are the sum total of my adolescent/adult long-haul travel. Although, it should be said that I also visited Australia and the Far East in the mid 1960s, as an infant, travelling mainly by ship. With regard to short-haul travel in Europe, I've done a fair amount of this, roughly half for "holidays" and the rest work-related. Quite a lot of this used, incidentally, rail, bus and ferry services. So I've done a fair amount of travelling in my time, but have made only 4 short-haul trips to Europe since the mid 1990s, and none since early 2001. It is now nearly 7 years since I visited another European country. So why have I become not only very grounded, but very little travelled at all in recent, and, indeed, not so recent, years.

The truthful answer is that I'm really not quite sure why I've become so grounded. Other activities and commitments have taken not only a time precedence to travel, but also a financial one. I've never been a big holiday person, although I've enjoyed work-related travel, and visiting people I know who live abroad. Environmental concerns have played their part, particularly after I visited California (the San Francisco/Berkeley/Santa Cruz and Yosemite areas), but these are by no means the exclusive reasons for my non-travelling, although a convenient excuse these days. I should also say that I now have an extremely low carbon footprint (by over-developed country standards), neither having a car nor, except very infrequently, travelling in other peoples : something I do naturally point out to other people from time to time. However, whilst there are undoubted environmental benefits to my lifestyle, and also personal health and fitness advantages as well, these may not be the main reason for my increasing groundedness. Indeed, I sometimes feel that some spiritual or more deep ecological force may be at work, for the interest and enjoyment I derive from my more local focus has been immense : at least commensurate with the pleasure and stimulation I used to derive from travel. Moreover, I meet lots of people from foreign lands these days in my everyday life, so feel less of a need to visit their countries.

All this said, I do feel the occasional desire to spread my wings again, but then I remember my last budget flight to Ibiza in 1997, or even my business-class return trip from Geneva in 2001, and still seem stubbornly unmotivated to return to the air. Am I just sad ? I really don't know. All this recalls a conversation with London Mayor Ken Livingstone in 2000 (Purple Ken as he was then) who seemed really chuffed to have travelled by helicopter from Brighton to London, when there was some problem on the railways, whilst he criticised me for using a car in the Capital, although on that occasion I actually needed a vehicle for various reasons. So perhaps, unconsciously, in my groundedness I'm a victim of other people's piety, and have unwittingly internalised this somewhere a long the line, losing my will to travel to some voodoo-like force. Interesting thought. Could this be the long and and the short of it all ?

Crisis, What Crisis ? : The Economy, Stupid !

I very much hope that the relocation of Sybil the Cat from Edinburgh to Downing Street heralds a more robust approach to government policy. The fact is that much of the economy has been poorly regulated for too long. Indeed a decline in the standards of economic regulation probably co-incided with the departure of Humphrey the Cat from No 10 early on in the New Labour regime. Now that things have really hit a rocky patch - yes, I'm talking about the finances of Northern Rock - we need rather more substance in the work of the Chancellor of the Exchequer and other government departments. After all, this is the first time a British financial institution has needed to be rescued by the Bank of England since the 1970s. As for those politicians and commentators who maintain "Crisis, What Crisis ?", the response must surely be : "The Economy, Stupid !".

On the Numinosity of "Stalin's Russia"

For once, I can sympathise with Jeremy Paxman, sometimes a rather bullying interviewer of recalcitrant politicians, as he likens the increasing "management" of British television media - Paxman works as a presenter for BBC television - to "life in Stalin's Russia".

The metaphor of "Stalinism", generally used humorously - Stalin may have appreciated this as he apparently had a sense of humour, albeit a rather dark one - has been used increasingly widely to highlight certain tendencies in British politics and the administration of the "public interest".

An article by Professor Robert Service, an Oxford academic and Russian specialist, in The New Statesman a couple of years ago, in which then Prime Minister Tony Blair was likened to Stalin, seems to have fired a wide range of imaginations, for instance that of a former Cabinet Secretary (this time with reference Gordon Brown) and now Jeremy Paxman.

Paxton notes certain Stalinist tendencies in British TV, notably the BBC, including an obsession with new technology, with the Media increasingly technology rather than content driven, and ultra-sensitivity to the opinion/reactions of Jo Public. However, what he really seems to be annoyed about is the heavy-handed administration of the BBC.

Now it seems to me that whilst the BBC, and British broadcast media generally, still has many great things going for it, there are certain issues which are now rarely covered, or acknowledged as having a important role in other social trends which have a very high profile coverage indeed.

One of these trends, for instance, is increasing gang-related violence amongst young people, which has recently led to a number of tragic deaths amongst teenagers, and even children, in the major urban areas of England.

This gang-related violence is typically ascribed to one major cause : the breakdown of the traditional family. This may be a important factor, but another issue - the fact that many young people have no expectation of ever securing work sufficiently rewarding to enable them to live a normal life - is another factor which receives virtually no media coverage at all.

For the "labour dimension" of the British economy is virtually a no-go area for the Media today, notwithstanding that we have, in name at least, a Labour Government in England (but no longer in Scotland, Wales - except in coalition - and Northern Ireland).

The increasing political "dis-integration" of the United Kingdom is also an issue which is under-reported in the broadcast media, which remains London, and to a lesser extent South East England, focussed in the extreme : something noted by the present government of Scotland.

This brings me to what Josef Stalin would have regarded as one of his greatest successes : the creation of a largely artificial reality in the former Soviet Union, which the public bought (and were coerced) in to, and which was administered by the professional classes, with frequent (Stalin-instigated) resort to largescale gang violence, and occasional foreign military escapades.

Stalin's Soviet Union was the ultimate shadow reality. He understood profoundly the darker side of human nature (perhaps even the human soul) and manipulated this masterfully for many years. He was, himself, the ultimate gang leader.

Perhaps it is the case that "gang culture" has infiltrated wider English society to such an extent that it is now running our country. All Hail, Gordon's Gang ! The professional classes do indeed seem to have rallyed to its ranks, at least until they are safely (or perhaps not so safely unless they work in the public sector) drawing their pensions.

And, yes, every now and then someone, like Jeremy Paxman, from The Establishment raises their head above the parapet. I wonder what Stalin would have made of that particular "Cloud-Dweller"* ! Of course, I'm just referring to Mr Paxman's physical stature.

* A term which Stalin might have used for media types whom he didn't regard as "dangerous" to his regime.

London : Avoiding Apocalypse through Timely Action

I've just caught the Internet trailer for a new British disaster movie called Flood, which opens on 24 August. This film appears to offer a fairly apocalyptic vision of the impact of major flooding on London. Let's hope that is doesn't herald some catastropic event in 2012 (no I'm not referring to the London Olympics !), which is widely predicted to be a year of profound global transformation or "The Great Change". This "Change" sounds fairly apocalyptic in some accounts, but forecasting the end of the world has proved unpredictable to date. Nevertheless, there would seem to be a real probability of a major tidal surge in the direction of London by 2030. So instead of faffing around with projects like the Thames Gateway Bridge (if the project still goes by this name), I would suggest that organisations with a key role in the future of London look to better flood risk management in the Thames Gateway.....and get a move on !

Planners and Politicians Please Read "Why New Orleans Still Isn't Safe" in Time

The cover story in this month's Time magazine revisits New Orleans 2 years after Hurricane Katrina where "...big money, inept engineering and environmental ignorance are...", according to article author Michael Grunwald, "...combining to to lay the groundwork for another catastrophe".

UK politicians and planners, particularly in areas like the Thames Gateway, please read this article !

On Gender and Other Re-Assignments

By chance, I found myself listening to an episode of BBC Radio 4's very good programme "Hecklers" the other evening. This programme seems to replace "The Moral Maze", about which I'm somewhat luke warm, during the off-peak summer season.

The subject of last week's programme was "Gender Re-Assignment" and a female journalist from The Guardian was advocating that this, when major surgery is increasingly involved, reflects an equally major social dysfunction around the rigid assignment of gender roles.

Some "Trans-People" who had received sex-change operations strongly disagreed with the journalist's argument, whilst others supported her contention and regretted having embarked upon surgery.

One issue which seemed to be absent from the discussion was the fact that some people welcome major surgery (which may or may not reflect wider social dysfunction), whether this is medical or cosmetic.

Speaking personally, I like to avoid any form of hospitalisation and when I was offered a hysterectomy several years ago, and having no symptoms to warrant such an operation, politely turned down the charming young doctor who made the offer.

Nevertheless, I can see a case for "gender-reassignment", whether or not this involves major surgery. I also acknowledge that there are very real social pressures around gender roles, and this may be one reason people choose to be single (even it they have children).

Now children's comprehension of gender tends to be conservative. So when I temporarily re-assigned the gender of the gentlemen's toilet at Cheltenham railway station the other day - the "Ladies" being "Out-of-Order" - one small boy looked most perplexed.

The subject of railway stations logically leads me on to the wider one of transport, where social dysfunction, amongst other reasons, encourages many people into excessive car dependence, both physical and psychological.

I'm still surprised by the simplistic way in which most people, including professional planners, perceive transport problems. Recommending major new road infrastructure comes all too easily, never mind that this will re-assign large amounts of traffic where it isn't wanted.

Much better that more of these people used the train more often. However, for people to re-assign their journeys to rail and other forms of public transport, some major surgery, and in some cases new infrastructure, will inevitably be required.

Finally, changes in social attitudes (to gender roles and transport) will be equally important.

Government Decision on Thames Gateway Bridge

or "No Woman should be judge of her own cause" !

Last Friday, I received a large brown package from DCLG (the Department for Communities and Local Government) : the Secretaries of State for Communities and Transport decision letters following the Thames Gateway Bridge Public Inquiry (June 2005 to May 2006) and the Conclusions of the Planning Inspectors's report. The Inspectors recommend outright that planning permission for this proposed Transport for London scheme be refused, on the grounds that it does not comply with sustainable planning and transport policy, and that the purported economic regeneration case for the project is inadequate, whilst its environmental impact would be unacceptable. Well done Planning Inspectorate ! However, the inquiry is now proposed to re-open because there has obviously been immense lobbying from scheme promoter TfL, and their supporters (which include DCLG and DfT).

This Blog is Resuming

As of 30 July 2007, and technology allowing, this blog is now resuming normal service...

This Blog is Relocating

Due to Gremlins (of a technical or censorship nature, possibly both !) this and my other blogs (see below) are relocating for a time to www.witchofworcester.wordpress.com.

The Old Economies, Stupid !

My thanks for the comments on transport from the gentleman in Sheffield, a city of which I have fond memories from the mid-1990s when I spent a rather uplifting time surveying small and medium-sized engineering companies on industrial estates in South Yorkshire.

I've just recently done some work on an industrial estate in the West Midlands and how times are changed ! In the mid-1990s, it looked like UK plc was creating a more balanced business portfolio wherein manufacturing still had a key role to play.

Now there are fewer people employed in manufacturing in the West Midlands than before the Industrial Revolution. The UK Land Economy has won the day once again for reasons linked to the global investment market in property.

Denied Access to Blogger : Conspiracy or Cock-up ?

I do not think of myself as a conspiracy theorist and seem to be one of the few people who believe that Diana Princess of Wales met her tragic death in a road accident : albeit that there were a cocktail of contributory factors to this, notably a drunk driver speeding, on the instruction of his employer, to escape a posse of paparazzi. For most of use, I'm afraid, the car is more dangerous than the gun, and "the cult of the car" more a threat to global civilisation than other forms of religious extremism, and even certain parts of the western media.

Nevertheless, I was surprised to be told in one of my local libraries this week that access to "Blogger" was going to be increasingly denied to me. The young woman in question, a librarian, with a confident, if rather prim, manner (a bit New Labour in fact), suggested that "Blogger" was effectively being censored, because of content issues, by an increasingly number of public access points such as libraries and Internet cafes. I must say that this warning came as rather a shock, and I suggested in response that Iranian-style censorship may have arrived in Britain.

I hope I'm wrong, but just in case this is what we should expect under the premiership of Gordon "I'm A Dinner Jacket"* Brown and the Ayatollahs of New Labour, here's a list of those of my blogs without a link to this one for any would be censors to scrutinise :

• www.regen-man.blogspot.com (A Manifesto for Regeneration)
• www.horse-work.blogspot.com (Horse Management through Appropriate Work)
• www.crookbarrow.blogspot.com ("The Modern Gothic" - Articles, Reviews, Stories)
• www.janetrocco.blogspot.com ("Satyrical Creations from Two Political Animals" etc)

Of the above, "regen-man" and "horse-work" have very little content at all, as they are in a "start-up" phase. "Crookbarrow" in a literary blog, and "Janet Rocco" is something - I dare say a little risque - that my cat channels through me from time to time.

* "I'm A Dinner Jacket" : A mnemonic provided by Ann Widdicombe in radio interview which might be used to remember the name of a certain middle eastern leader, much in the news.

Have Car, Can't Travel : Have Feet, Can

The "snow storms" which have hit the West Midlands, and Worcestershire in particular, in the last couple of days highlight one the core areas of the region's unsustainability : the fact that people's mean travel to work (and other destinations) distances by car are the highest (or amongst the highest) in the country. One reason - probably the main one - for this is that the West Midlands was the last region in the country to encourage a policy of population dispersal from the major urban areas, like Birmingham and its hinterland conurbation. The consequent dispersed pattern of settlement, and associated mobility (travel rather than social !) patterns leads to excessive car dependency. This problem needs to be tackled as a matter of urgency by planners involved in the West Midlands Regional Spatial Strategy, which is currently subject to public consultation. So, please, let's "walk the talk" for a change, and also put some real investment into the railways.

Boris Johnson on William Hogarth

Interest in the work of the artist William Hogarth seems to have undergone something of a renaissance recently, and rightly so. The follies of our own time call for the skills of the satirist as much as those of Hogarth's age.

Conservative MP, Boris Johnson, talking about "The Rake's Progress" this morning on the radio, expressed disappointment that contemporary British art has not brought forth a satiric artist of Hogarthian proportions (even if Boris himself fulfils some of these in his own person !).

Gambling on Regeneration & The Casino Economy

People outside the regeneration community (and many on the inside !) may have found themselves, at the very least, bemused by recent announcements on the proposed siting of a "Super Casino" in Manchester. The overriding reason cited for this decision was the regeneration case put forward by local agencies in Manchester. However, the matter isn't over as Parliament has to have a say (for a change).

Outside Parliament, there has been an earnest debate on whether gambling constitutes a regeneration activity, representing as it does for some, particularly from religious communities, precisely the opposite : a sure route, for many, not to "regeneration" but to the "other place".

However, such sentiments hold little sway with Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, Ms Tess "The Italian Job" Jowell. "The Italian Job" here being a reference to Ms Jowell's (?ex) husband's business dealings with folks in that country. Surely Ms Jowell should be wise to dubious financial undertaking by now, but not a bit of it, as the costs of London 2012 also show. With Gordon Brown as Chancellor, and probably the next prime minister, we have veritably entered the era of the "Casino Economy", but, perhaps, not many people know that, yet !

More on Riding & Road Safety

In my previous blog I reflected on whether a compulsory road safety test should be imposed upon horse riders. On further consideration, I think the following approach would be be preferable.

1. Equestrian "Movement" support for lower speed limits on rural roads as proposed by, amongst others, the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE).
2. Better general road safety training in schools for children and young people.
3. More effective promotion of the British Horse Society Riding and Road Safety Test

I intend to put forward some suggestions for a campaign by the BHS and others in respect of the above in a future blog.

Riding & Road Safety

My intolerance to bureaucracy is on a par with some people's reaction to foods which strongly disagree with them. Nevertheless, I do wonder whether a "road safety" test should be made compulsory for unsupervised horse riders ie those unaccompanied by a qualified person, such as a riding instructor. I should point out that I have arrived at this point of view over several years, and from different perspectives. In addition to having been a qualified car driver for 27 years, although I do not use a motor vehicle just now, I am a pedestrian, cyclist and horse rider. I am also professionally involved in planning and transport related areas, and a sometime environmental activist, concerned with, amongst many other things, road safety issues. Some years ago I passed the British Horse Society's Riding and Road Safety Test (on my second attempt), and organised the test on behalf of other horse riders : an increasingly bureaucratic experience. In the meantime, there are more cars and other vehicles on the road, especially in semi-rural areas, and the standard of driving has probably declined, and this not exclusively, by any means, amongst young people. Like most horse-riders, I have had my share of near misses and have friends who have not been so lucky. Yet is has to be said that some of the same horse people who complain about conditions on the road - and in some cases will no longer ride out on it - are precisely the kind of driver you would not like to meet on a horse ie they drive too fast for the road conditions and sometimes inattentively. Equally, most horse riders have not undertaken any formal road safety training, let alone their BHS Test, and this is all too visible in an increasing amount of "bad" riding on the road. Indeed, in many cases, it is fortunate that horses have more sense than their riders. So, all in all, perhaps it is time for compulsory testing.

Conspiracies Against The Laity : The Real Power Inquiry

I have decided to call my "Real Power Inquiry" "Conspiracies Against the Laity" for the following reasons :

1. Something called "The Power Inquiry", chaired by Helena Kennedy QC, has recently reported to Government (its client).

2. I regard all "Establishments", and, in particular the Law, as being, in part at least, "a conspiracy against the laity", to use the well-known words of G B Shaw.

Some Advice for Fat Cats & General Practitioners

The truth of the saying "you are what you eat" has been brought home to me recently. My adoptive cat has just changed his dietary preference from a soft Tesco's ready-meal to an apparently more healthy (nine out of ten vets seem to recommend it) "active maturity" granule. Not only has he lost weight, but resumed life on the prowl, having become a bit of a couch potato of late. This goes to show that relatively modest changes to one's regime can achieve almost immediate beneficial effects. Extreme changes are often unnecessary, and maybe lethal.

From a business/management perspective, what I particularly dislike about the New Labour "Regime" is its preference for "constant revolution" in many areas of government. Spurious administrative changes in the name of "modernisation" have been very much in fashion, particularly where these involve the purchase of expensive and, arguably unnecessary, IT systems from which many a cat has grown fat. Nor, in the case of the Health Service, is it only management practitioners who have become excessively prosperous.

In my personal capacity as a patient, I can only think of one General Practitioner who would merit a salary of circa £100k per annum, apparently the going rate for GPs these days. This gentleman was an African doctor practising in this country who combined an excellent consultative manner (calm, caring gravitas) with the ability to offer clear diagnosis and appropriate treatment. The true value of this kind of medical practitioner is illustrated in the following case study from my personal experience, and, as it happens, that of my cat.

Some years ago, my then cat and I both developed lumps in our mouths. In my case, I had rather foolishly allowed the National Health Service to extract my wisdom teeth, something which seemed to lead not to cure but subsequent dental problems. When my lump appeared I was therefore anxious. However, the doctor mentioned above assured me that this was a harmless bony growth and I should not worry about it. Indeed, I have had the lump now for about 12 years, and it has caused me no problems at all.

Meanwhile, my old cat's veterinary care was rather less appropriate, and, in the end, perhaps fatal. The vet suggested that the growth in his mouth might be cancerous and advised a biopsy.
In removing tissue for this purpose, the vet blocked a salivary duct and my cat developed a cyst on the side of his neck, in size probably half way between a golf and tennis ball (ie big for a small animal). The biopsy revealed there was no cancer. However, the cyst caused serious subsequent health problems for the cat, although it was eventually treated effectively by another vet.

In the case of my cat and, and other animals in whose care I have been involved, my experience is that veterinary treatments can be overzealous. This may have something to do with the veterinary insurance industry which has boomed in recent years. Purchasers of private medical care please take note ! However, even within the NHS I would suggest that there is much unnecessary "treatment". Not only is this costly in money and "opportunity cost" (when people who really need treatment cannot obtain it), the cure, as they say, may be worse than the disease.

On Serious Matters and Lite Entertainment

My last blog concluded on the subject of S&M, and more particularly, "Domination Services", and, whilst I could probably put together a good business plan for a commercial/social enterprise in this sector - and may yet do so - I actually want to look at dominant power structures and ideologies in our society first. So, next week my "Real Power Inquiry" starts.
This will be structured as follows :

Janet Mackinnon Blog

Introduction to The Real Power Inquiry on the true meaning of "power politics etc".

The Market for Domination Services will cover things like : "The Tyranny of Fashion", including spurious lingerie marketing; and the domination of health services by the drugs industry ie licenced pharmaceutical companies, rather than illegal drugs dealers (although I might tackle them as well)

The Edge of Town Blog

What Future for Feminism ? will deal with the domination of feminist politics in this country by New Labour Neo-Conservative "feminists" like Ruth Kelly (Minister for Women), Harriet Harman, and, yes, Cherie Booth-Blair QC. The exclusion of other feminist agendas from mainstream politics and policies will also be considered.

Janet Stone Blog

Troubles with Trolls will look at the negative and positive aspects of what might be construed (especially by men) as "the dark feminine".

The Green Man Project Blog

(Over) Population and Sustainability will be the focus here.

If the above sounds somewhat "heavy", it may be, but might just make interesting reading.


However, in the meantime - and it being a Saturday - I want to strike a "liter" note, and say something about Simon Cowell, "The King of Light Entertainment" whom my previous blog also touched upon. Now some people may feel that my blogs have been rather hard on New Labour (something for which I make absolutely no apology !), and it may now come as a surprise that I'm now going to say something positive about the "Tony Blair Years". Simon Cowell, although I have no idea what his politics are, is in my view one positive manifestation of New Labour. Why ? Let me list the reasons. Mr Cowell :

1. Beat Gordon Brown to 97th place in the "Worlds Sexiest Men" Poll. Mr Cowell came in at 96th.

2. Has made alot of money (Very important in New Labour circles, as Peter Mandelson would no doubt assure us)

3. Has a positive view of equality/diversity issues (I'm being genuine here !)

Shame that Tony Blair didn't pursue the same course in life as Mr Cowell, but maybe there's still time. ("Cherie, we're joining the other LaLas later this year !").

All this said, I actually like Mr Cowell (although I suspect that he's not at all green...but I'm no puritan either), but its the "dark side" of New Labour that really gets me going.

"Chilled, but Still Dangerous"
On the Subjects M&S...& S&M

They say that success is all about the right personal (and professional) branding right now, so I was delighted by a fashion "find" yesterday. Walking through the lingerie department of Marks and Spencer (M&S), I spotted a pair of trousers on the sale rack that looked just the job for me. I should point out that I'm always on the lookout for a robust pair of trousers, as cycling almost everywhere these days brings considerable pressure in the pants (as distinct from lingerie) department. A quick glance at the trousers in question, therefore, brought considerable satisfaction as they were constructed of strong black denim, quite up to wear, in fact, on a building site, with the added advantage of a high elasticated waist, so no bottom cleavage problem. There are few things worse, in my experience, than a cold wind up your backside, speaking metaphorically as well as physically, of course. Like Simon Cowell (whose appearance on "Desert Island Discs" revealed him to be a man of exceptionally good musical taste), I also quite like a "high waist" for sartorial, as well as practical, reasons.

However, my M&S trousers - of which I am now the proud owner - have other advantages : price, as they are for teenagers; and, branding. For a pedestian and cyclist like myself, who is regulary "hustled" by motorists, these trousers have a brand which is truly talismanic : "Back Off" (with a skull and cross bones symbol for added punch). Moreover, they carry a red logo containing the words "Chilled, but Still Dangerous", which I would like to think still holds in it something of my attitude to life, even in middle age. In fact, I now feel truly empowered by my new pants, especially as I put them to the test this morning, tackling a spot of professional bother in what I felt was a very cool fashion indeed.

Now all this brings me to another subject, not concerning M&S but S&M, or "Domination Services" to be precise. An advertisement in my local free paper invited applications from people interested in providing these (something I understand can be very lucrative), and, I must confess, it did cross my mind to apply : but this is a subject more suited to "The Edge of Town"blog.

Equestrian Craft Skills

Following my earlier post on "Horse Welfare and the Household Cavalry", which some may find hard on "equestrian professionals", I thought something positive on this subject might be in order. Some of the most important contributions to horse welfare come from what are often referred to as the equestrian "trades", including good saddlers and farriers. In my experience, the Household Cavalry has produced some very good people here, and it may well be argued that their role is just as significant as the equestrian pageantry for which this institution rightly renowned.

Horse Welfare & The Household Cavalry

On yesterday's BBC1 "Midlands Today" there was an interesting story about equine welfare. The item concerned the horses of the Household Cavalry, which, as the presenter noted in his introduction, form part of what many people regard to be amongst the best of British heritage. However, on this occasion the presence of some Household Cavalry horses in a muddy field in South Worcestershire had met not with public applause, but with disapproval. In short, several people had called the RSPCA (Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals), and one local horsewoman was considering writing to the Queen.

A Household Cavalry vet was duly interviewed and maintained that the health and welfare of their horses was not at all compromised, although they would shortly be moving back to London. No action on the matter is being taken by the RSPCA.

I have to say that this story evoked very mixed feelings in me. Having had some horse dealings with serving and former Household Cavalry people, including their vets, a part of me was delighted that someone had put them on the spot, and not a particularly comfortable one at that.
For the fault of these people, in my view, is their own over-preoccupation with how things appear, and propensity to "tell tales" themselves if things don't "look right". Perhaps a bit more attention to substance rather than show is required here ! Incidentally, this applies to the horse world as a whole, and particularly perhaps in Middle England.

For this story - like all stories - has another side to it. As someone was has been based in Worcestershire for five years, I have noticed a propensity amongst local horseowners to contact the RSPCA when they feel the horses of other people are being neglected, even when the animals in question are quite healthy, which appeared to be the case with the Household Cavalry horses. These callers to the RSPCA tend to be people either relatively new to horses, and/or those with strong views about how how horses should be managed, such as a preference for maximum clipping, rugging and stabling in (ie up to 24 hours a day) during the "winter".

The fact is that a genuine cavalry horse, as distinct from a show or sports horse, should be capable of dealing with "harsh" conditions, including bad weather and muddy ground. The big problem for horse welfare in Worcestershire, from my perspective, is animals who are "not fit for purpose". This lack of "fitness" typically has several attributes. Firstly, it is difficult to obtain a good hardy middle weight horse (as distinct from pony) of the "cavalry type" these days. Secondly, animals are often insufficiently "fittened" by their owners and become chronically unsound. Thirdly, there is tendency to mollycoddle, and "vet", to the point of cruelty.

This brings me back to the subject of "vetting". For, in my opinion, some of the major contributors to poor horse "fitness", as I have described it, and consequently welfare, are to be found amongst the vetinary community, as well as other "equestrian professionals".

REGENERATION MANIFESTO(S)

Now it is mid-January and with the prospect of more seasonal temperatures, not to say stormy weather, in the next few days, I feel 2007 has really begun. I've decided that the focus of my blog during this Winter/Spring season, as Nature once again regenerates herself, will be "Regeneration", and, in particular, "Regeneration Manifestos". Indeed, I intend to publish my own "Manifesto for Regeneration", which will deal not only with earthly and material considerations, but intellectual, cultural and spiritual matters as well : these, in my view, being equally important at the present time. Moreover, although my "Regeneration Manifesto" will focus on Britain, and in particular, Middle England, I will draw upon the experience of other nations, both in the over/developed and less-developed world. Whilst this inquiry will be of a serious nature, I hope that it will also be humorous and entertaining, and widen understanding of what is meant by "regeneration" in both its practical and more philosophical manifestations.

A quick Internet word-search of "Regeneration Manifesto" offers a useful starting point for exploring the theme of regeneration. The first entry to come up is the 2005 British Property Federation (BPF) Regeneration Manifesto. This is actually rather a useful document because BPF have come up with some of the most coherent thinking, not only only property-based regeneration but also on sustainable development, transport planning, energy conservation etc, which is not to say that I always agree with them. Following on from the BPF entry, are a number of references to manifestos for community-based regeneration, including one from SURF (Scottish Urban Regeneration Forum); and, others concerned with improving the quality of the built environment and local enterprise. I will explore these and other "Regeneration Manifestos" in coming blogs. I will also consider the religious significance of "regeneration", something particularly significant in the Christian faith in the context of the Easter celebrations; and, perhaps closest to my own heart, the meaning of "sustainable regeneration" for Planet Earth and her people, animal and plant life, both globally and locally.

Gordon's Gang and Labour's New Politics of the Playground

"Worse than a crime, it was a mistake". This saying might sum up many of the government's ill-advised policy ventures, not least the war in Iraq. However, these are collective misadventures, and not just the mistake of Tony and his cronies.

Until yesterday, I had quite a lot of respect for The Fabian Society, but after they hosted last weekend's love-in (as the BBC put it) for Gordon's Gang (ie Gordon Brown and his cronies), my respect is somewhat diminished.

One of Gordon's journalist cronies suggested that the Chancellor didn't identify himself strongly with the war in Iraq because foreign policy had been largely left to Tony Blair, whilst Mr Brown attended to economic and, increasingly, broader domestic policy.

Sorry, but this doesn't wash, and if the media buy into this nonsense, they're an even dafter lot than I'd reckoned on. The only good thing about Britain's involvement in Iraq, that I can think of, is that it brought about the dismissal/resignation of Mr Lifestyle TV himself, Greg Dyke.

Now, however, the "Blair Lifestyle Years", during which Cherie was advised by lifestyle guru Carol Caplin and her conman Aussie boyfriend, have been replaced by the prospect of, the equally ghastly and potentially lethal, Gordon's Gang and their politics of the playground.

The wonder is that much of the media seem to buying into this nonsense, just as they did during Blair's "Lifestyle TV" years. Get real ! The prospect of the Chancellor's "representative on earth", Ed "fatboy" Balls, sorting out the problems of the Palestinians is a non-starter.

As the rather good government minister, Kim Howells, recently pointed out, the Palestinian people have been been amongst the most subsidised on the planet. One consequence of this is the country's burgeoning population bomb, alongside its other explosive problems.

Indeed, it could be argued that the population problem of the Middle East (ie too many people, economic and environmental unsustainability) lies at the very heart of instability there. Massive - ie $billions - United States "re-construction investment" in Iraq has achieved very little.

Alot of this, by all accounts, has been syphoned off to places like the more exclusive parts of London. If Gordon's Gang want to do something sensible, let them start by tackling money-laundering at home, but let's have no more daft playground adventures please.

Main Event or Side Show ?

Whilst I prefer not to know about the domestic lives of politicians - how they choose to educate their children, where they go on holiday etc - such insights sometimes throw light on wider and more important matters.

Although, "friends" of the Prime Minister maintain that he is much better appreciated abroad than at home (by which I mean in Britain), this may not be the case. Apparently, he is known in the Italian media as "The Scrounger" as a consequence of his (? former) policy of holidaying at the expence of wealthy political friends.

When questioned about his penchant for transatlantic holidays and air travel, the Prime Minister was yesterday robust in the defence of he and his family's regular right to this (although he is now to "offset" both governmental/business and personal air travel).

Whilst Mr Blair's policy on air travel caused much indignation amongst the environmental and green community, it should certainly have come as no surprise. For both the Prime Minister and the New Labour "Community" have clearly regarded the issues of environmental conservation and sustainability as a side show from the outset of office.

For those of us that regard environmental issues as the main event for the global community just now, the personal and political preferences of Mr Blair and his New Labour colleagues may be a disappointment. However, we should take consolation in the fact that he and his administration (and I include Gordon Brown in this) are fast becoming a side show themselves.

British General Election in 2007 ?

The possibility of a snap general election this year has been raised in an interview with Conservative Party Leader, David Cameron. This is something which bears thinking about, I feel.

"If Voting Changed Anything, They'd Abolish It"

In 1987 I read a rather good book by Ken Livingstone - Red Ken as he was then - called "If Voting Changed Anything, They'd Abolish It". This account of the abolition of the Greater London Council by the Conservative Government of Margaret Thatcher - who appeared to harbour a particular dislike for Mr Livingstone (I wonder why ?) - was quite engrossing.

The expression "If Voting Changed Anything, They'd Abolish It" seems, like Mr Livingstone, to have received something of a comeback in recent years : I wonder why ?

Perhaps yesterday's outcome of BBC Radio 4's poll of unpopular legislation throws some light on this. The following extract is taken from today's Independent :

"Row as 'Today' programme's poll is won by fox-hunting alliance
By Ben Russell, Political Correspondent
Published: 02 January 2007

"It should have been a bit of festive fun with a slightly serious political edge. But the Radio 4 Today programme's annual Christmas survey instead led to a row after listeners voted to repeal the ban on fox-hunting.

The poll, which has a long history of producing questionable results, caused more controversy this year, with claims that the Countryside Alliance had orchestrated calls to abolish the 2004 Hunting Act.

The Alliance dismissed the claims as "sour grapes".

A total of 52.8 per cent of the telephone and internet votes went to repealing the hunting ban. It was well ahead of the 29.7 per cent of the voters who wanted to scrap the 1972 European Communities Act, which took Britain into what is now the European Union."

The fact is that many people regard fox-hunting, whether or not they participate in it, as an important part of our cultural heritage. It could be argued that "The Old Fox" Mr Livingstone - by then Purple Ken as the Labour Party had expelled him - was voted in as Mayor of London in 2000 with sentiments not totally dissimilar.

If such sentiments - including legitimate concerns about European Union - upset certain elements of the political classes, then the more fool they ! If voting changed anything, they may abolish it (or want to), but, it should be remembered, that everyday dog, fox and hound, will, ultimately have his or her day.

Carry on Communities : Postscript
No Peace for the Wicked Blair Wizard

For the full story of how what follows came about, please read the pantomime in full in this and my other blogs.

Happy New Year...

"It's been a disaster !", said the wicked Blair Wizard as he prepared to conjure up the demon, Peter Mephistopheles. "Frankly, the only good thing is Gordon Brown's expulsion to a remote Scottish island. John Prescott should have gone by now. But worse, by far the worst of all, is that Clare Short is now heading up the new English Parliament in Birmingham : a mother of all parliaments indeed. My dreams of becoming first British President, with Cherie as First Lady - the beginnings of a great political Blair dynasty - are all come to nothing..."

At this instant, Peter Mephistopheles, attired in elegant designer horns and forked tail, appeared in a large puff of smoke.

"....We had a deal, Mephistopheles", said Blair Wizard, " and now my plans are all come to nothing !".

To which Mephistopheles responded : "Well, you should recall the old soviet saying : 'Plan too much and things go wrong". Although in your case, you had the wrong plans, certainly as regards land use planning, and those misnamed Communities Plans. The fact is the British don't like US, anymore than soviet-style planning". He continued : "Anyway Blair, I've enough of my own problems. Gordon "Big Clunking Fist" Brown and John "Falstaff" Prescott have upset all sorts of people in the underworld, including a number of important European friends, and its only my great diplomacy which maintains order down there just now. You, of all people, Blair should know that's there no peace for the wicked !"

With these words, Mephistopheles once again disappeared in a large puff of smoke.

"There he goes up in smoke yet again !", said Blair : "Still, I'm sure there will be a great opportunity for me somewhere in the global media industry, spinning stories around the world. I've still got friends in high places !"

And then a voice spoke, as if from the wilderness : "Yo Blair ! We still gotta whole lotta community-building to do. Wars and environmental disasters are good for the re-construction business".

Some Seasonal Saturnalia

I was reflecting overnight on whether the inclusion of an E-Pantomime in my everyday reality blog might have breached decorum in some way. However, I am reminded that this is the season of the Saturnalia, heralded, according to some accounts, by the Sun's entry into Capricornus, the Saturnalian sign of the Goat (which is today). In the Saturnalia, a Roman Festival, also linked with the coming of the Christmas Fool, the Mystery Plays and with the Cult of Misrule (Shakespeare's Falstaff is the embodiment of the latter). These festivities have in common the casting away of normal social rules and conventions, for a limited period of time, probably until the early New Year. Enjoy !

Carry On Communities
An E-Pantomime in Four Acts
Draft 1

Prologue : The Big Clunking Fist (see blog below)

Act 1 : The Children of Tescograd (see blog below)

Act 2 : The Court of the Red Tar (see : http://www.the-edge-of-town.blogspot.com/ on 20.12.2006)

Act 3 : The Witch of Worcester (see : http://www.jan8stone.blogspot.com/ on 21.12.2006)

Act 4 : The Charter of the Forest (see : http://www.the-green-man-project.blogspot.com/ on 22.12.2006)

Epilogue : Vision of Britain 2107 (see : http://www.the-green-man-project.blogspot.com/ on 22.12.2006)


Summary

"More faults are committed while we are trying to oblige than while we are trying to give offense". Tacitus

England is being terrorised by a Scottish giant known as the Big Clunking Fist, expelled from his home country which now has an independent government. However, the pantomime's action takes place mainly around the City of Worcester (now known as Tescograd), in the West Midlands, and its underworld - think Middle Earth ! - where the Red Tar (Sinbad Prescottt) holds his Court (think dysfunctional Office of the Deputy Prime Minister or ODPM).

The pantomine's hero, Simon Simpleman is a sort of hobbit (the people of Worcestershire provided something of the inspiration for Tolkien's hobbits) in whose heart lives on the true spirit of liberalism (small "l" and nothing to do with the Liberal-Democrats). Simon sets out with his faithful friend, Boris the Cat (formerly a Russian intelligence officer) , to discover the real meaning of regeneration and community, but he must first disarm The Court of the Red Tar.

This task accomplished, the hero seeks counsel from the Witch of Worcester who resides in the centre of the city. Amongst other challenges, she tasks him with regeneration of the ancient forests of Worcestershire, and the creation of a New Charter of the Forest. This Charter will in its turn provide the foundation for the long prophesied "Sustainable Communities", and act as catalyst for the regeneration of the "Great Brownlands", or the Birmingham conurbation.


Prologue : The Big Clunking Fist

Fi Fi Fo Fum
I smell the funds of an Englishman
Be he alive of be he dead
I'll have his money for my bread !

(based upon a well-known English nursery rhyme)

Under the Big Clunking Fist's reign of terror (Traffic Rules OK !), of which deregulation of the land use planning system is a key part, England has become a wasteland of suburbs and supermarkets, epitomised by the recent re-naming of Worcester as Tescograd....


Act 1 : The Children of Tescograd

Let's all work in Tesco's, let's all work in Tescos
Tra La La La, Tra La La
Let's all work in Tesco's, where we all buy our best clothes
Tra La La La, Tra La La

(based upon a song sung by local teenagers in what was Worcester).

The hobbit Simon Simpleman was in conversation with his faithful friend Boris the Cat, when the two heard a loud bang. "Another road traffic accident !", they both said simultaneously.
Sure enough, not far from their humble dwelling was a pile of metal and what appeared to be the remains of several teenagers. "These young people seem to have lost the will to live" said Simon. "I have not met an adult under 25 in recent years whose friends have not been seriously injured or killed in a road traffic accident. Moreover, the situation seems to be getting worse. What are we to do about it Boris ?".

Boris thought long and hard, as was his wont, and with an inscrutable expression said : "We must visit the Court of the Red Tar. My intelligence - old friends in MI5 you know ! - suggests that this can be accessed through an opening to the underworld below Junction 6 of the M5.
One of a number of an ancient oak trees near Junction 6 holds the key to this gateway. We must descend into the underworld and disarm the office of Sinbad Prescott, or the "Red Tar" as he has become known".

Simon smiled : "It all sound very "James Bond" to me Boris, particularly as there are plans for something of a "Casino Royale" nearby, but I feel that we two have been chosen by the ancestral spirits of these parts - ancient Britons, Saxons and all that - for this task. The City of Worcester and her surrounding countryside must somehow be restored to their former glories, and the shadows of Tescograd and all this represents be overturned, once and for all !"

With these words they set off upon a mission which seemed all but impossible.

To be continued @ www.the-edge-of-town.blogspot.com on 20.12.2006

Common Sense Consulting

I am neither particularly accommodating nor tolerant of other people. Therefore it always comes as something of a surprise to me to say that I have never worked with anyone whom I would regard as stupid. Indeed, I have often stood up for people whom others have regarded as incompetent because I knew that with the right supervision - and sometimes training - these individuals could perform well (and often as well if not better than the people who were regarded as good at their jobs). Equally surprising to me is the constant whinging from employers about the problems of younger (and older) ,workers and the lack of people available to do particular jobs, whether skilled or unskilled, amongst UK nationals. As something of a networker (a highly skilled one in fact) I know there are plenty of people around for all manner of work, provided you aren't prejudiced against, for example, people with too few or to many qualifications, and with too little or too much experience, or those who "don't seem to fit" a particular context : something which seems to be more important these days for some reason.

In my professional and working life, I tend to view people objectively. Everyone has their strong and weak points. Equally, people whom I would not seek out as friends make perfectly good work colleagues (and vice versa). This is not to say that I do not have good friends amongst people with whom I also have professional relationships, but one type of relationship need not assume another. In fact, some of my most enduring and successful business relationships are with people I know little of personally. Friendship is inevitably subjective and, lets face it, friends often fall out over subjective things. The good thing about professional and working relationships is that they generally occur within an enterprise (whether commercial, social or some combination of the two) which gives them some objective structure and, indeed, objectives.

As mentioned earlier, I have noticed a growing pre-occupation amongst employers, and also workers, with recruiting people who "fit in" with them. This may have something to do with the New Labour administration which has "cascaded down" into the wider community. The need for people to "fit in" has certainly, from my perspective, gained momentum in recent years, and, I would argue, is a often a more important requirement - for consultants as well as employees - than hard skills and experience. At the higher level of decision-making, I will call it, this "fitting-in" often accompanies a certain requirement for "group think" when major investments with an equally major public interest dimension, for instance, are being embarked upon. On the office or shop floor, "fitting in" often has more to do with shared life circumstances and/or outlook. On balance, there is a strong presumption in favour of family-orientated people (even amongst the young and "gay") of conventional values - which may be one reasons why Polish workers are so well regarded - who attach considerable importance, consciously or unconsciously, to group "equilibrium".

Is this all a good thing ? Not from my perspective, professionally and, for that matter, personally. One of the most worrying trends I have observed is what could be described as "a requirement for the willing suspension of common sense", or put another way, organisations of all types increasingly require a certain aptitude for stupidity. Let me provide an example. Someone recently described to me the "brainwashing" (their words) process which recruits to the call centre operations of a highly reputable company in this country are required to undergo. As it happened, I knew a young man with joint United Kingdom-United States citizenship who had recently been recruited to the organisation in question. A lovely - and by no means stupid - chap, he could perfectly fulfil the requirement for common sense suspension. It came as no surprise to me therefore, that recent callers to a radio phone-in about call centres should complain, almost unanimously, about the "stupidity" of the call handlers at these centres. Personally, I don't use them !

The woman - a very sharp lady in fact - who described the "brain washing" of call centre recruits had, as it happened, just recruited the young man mentioned to the centre described above. Like many people, she possesses a strong aptitude for Orwellian "doublethink" which forms an increasingly important part of the personal and professional tool-set for "getting on" these days. By "doublethink", I mean a recognition that something may be, for wont of a more elegant expression on my part, "a load of old cobblers" but you buy into this nevertheless, particularly if doing so means alot of money could be coming your way, either organisationally, personally or both. Indeed, it is almost certainly the case that the greatest instances of both doublethink and the willing suspension of common sense occur at the higher levels of organisations, decision-making and salary scale (not to say bonuses) which is rather worrying, I feel, both professionally and personally. For herein lies the two of the main conditions for great disasters amongst private sector corporations and public institutions.

Therefore, I'm sticking with common sense consulting, even if some clients won't buy it !

carry-on-communities.gov.uk : an e-pantomine

Please note that my e-panto (sort of) will be online next week.

Seasons Greetings in the meantime !

National Planning Mediation Service

One of the more sensible ideas to be endorsed by the recently published Barker Review of Land Use Planning* is that of a "Planning Mediation Service" which would form part of the Planning Inspectorate. The success of such a service - should the Government decide to precede with one - will depend upon the timing of the meditor's intervention in the planning process. If this comes at the options stage of plan and project development, mediation could work very well.
However, if the service is intended to coerce objectors into supporting policies or schemes where there is a wrongful presumption in favour of development (ie options have not been fully worked through), I anticipate mediation will be viewed with some scepticism, if not outright cynicism.

* I shall be reviewing this review next year.

The Prospect of an Independent Scotland

It is not without irony that the prospect of an independent Scotland should gather momentum under a British New Labour Government dominated by Scots like Chancellor Gordon Brown and Home Secretary John Reid (another possible contender for prime minister ?)

Although I have a Scottish surname, I don't feel a particularly strong connection with Scotland, having been brought up and educated in North Wales, and lived most of my adult life in Southern England. I do, however, consider myself British, with ancestors from all parts of the UK and Ireland, as well as close relatives in Australia.

Nevertheless, I have some sympathy with those who would like to see independence for Scotland and, indeed, for Wales. This is, after all, a regional issue. London-based government has far too strong an influence over the English regions and other countries of Britain. Notwithstanding Scottish and Welsh devolution and the creation of regional government in England, the economic and political power of London has increased under New Labour, largely because of the policies of the Treasury, and the "globalisation ideology" at the heart of the Blair Government which emphasises the role of London.

Therefore, the prospect of an independent Scotland - should the Scottish Nationalist Party come to power - is something I view with interest and sympathy (if that's the right word), but do not necessarily support. This was also my position when I lived in Wales in relation to the prospect of Welsh independence. However, if I lived there now - or indeed in Scotland - I might feel differently.

Ideological or Evidence-based Policy-Making ?

We're regularly told by people who should know (better ?) that evidence-based policy-making has triumphed over ideology-based policy during the New Labour administration of Britain. However, I wonder whether this is true in the case of the UK's current involvement in Iraq. I have my doubts, and not only on this policy issue. Either way, perhaps the law of unintended serious consequences should be consulted in advance of major new policy offensives at home and abroad.

Postscript to My Previous Blog on Housing and Depression

As I was still pondering the housing market last Friday afternoon, another radio item came up which struck me as something of a syncronicity. This time the subject was the Spanish housing market which apparently has some 3 million empty appartments, more "homes" having been constructed there in the last (recent ?) year(s) than in Britain, France and Germany combined.
Meanwhile, there were protests on the streest of Madrid by many ordinary working people for whom home purchase is unaffordable, although 50 year mortgages are on offer (as they are in this country). So much for housing supply being the core problem in providing "affordable" homes ! UK Government take note !

The Housing Market and Psychological Depression

There was an item on the radio recently which reported that the subject of depression (pyschological rather than economic) was replacing house prices as the talking point for Londoners. I far as I'm led to believe the London housing market is buoyant - albeit more bouyant for some people than others - and it was unclear from the item whether it was homeowners or non-homeowners for whom the subject of depression was coming to the fore.

I would suggest (although I am not a psychologist, except like most people in an amateur way)
that psycholiogical depression tends to exist where there are "uncertainties, troubles, doubts" (to use a literary quotation of whose origin I am uncertain), and, possibly, deeper clinical or "structural" problems. There are also some "uncertainties, troubles, doubts" around the UK housing market just now, in London and elsewhere, together with structural concerns.

Those people who have experienced a depressed housing market in the not-so-distant past may tend to wonder whether house price mechanisms are "bi-polar", and having entered a manic phase in recent years may yet plunge again into another depression, particularly in some areas, at some point in the future. "What goes up, must come down" as they say. Yet we are (re-)assured by official sources that the housing market is in a state of unprecedented strength.

There are certainly unprecedented forces bouying up the UK housing market at present, particularly in London, and in parts of London more than in others. One of these is the global growth in the number of people (individuals and organisations) with money to spend on housing and property in general, and for whom London/UK is an attractive destination. Thus it should come as no surprise that the UK is currently the world's Number One destination for inward investment, and that alot of this investment is in property (from mega commercial schemes to small housing portfolios). Aside from "foreigners" buying property, UK national have also invested hugely in "bricks and mortar" in recent years beyond their own immediate accommodation needs. Thus, in retrospect, it is hardly surprising that house prices have risen.

A number of questions arise from the above trends. Are these trends really good for the economy in general, especially in the longer term ? Linked to this question : is the housing market sustainable - economically, environmentally and socially ? My answer to both these questions is probably not, and, therefore, I'm not at all surprised that people, perhaps especially in London, are starting to feel dpressed about it all.

"There's a bit of a recession on at the moment"

This morning I met one of the most entrepreneurial people I've come across in Worcester, having a cigarette outside her business premises. During our short conversation, she expressed the view that : "There's a bit of a recession on the moment". This is certainly my impression too , and I responded that, for me, "the "recession in some sectors had been going on for a long time". The entrepreneurial young woman, an excellent salesperson whose work brings her into contact with a wide range of commerical and not-for-profit organisations, agreed that there is indeed a "problem" with the "real" economy. Therein lies the problem. As far as I can make out, this Government and those with a serious stakeholding in its policiesinhabit a different economic reality from the rest of us : a theme I shall take up in subsequent posts.

There's No Accounting For Taste

I can sympathise with schools encountering problems with their pupils's take-up of the healthy meals inspired by Jamie Oliver's "School Dinners". Last year, a cat decided to relocate from his hard working family's home, where he was the recipient of a top-brand organic catfood, to live with me. He soon displayed a strong preference for one of Tesco's own brand non-organic ready meals, even when given the option of fresh meat. This, or course, raises a number of ethical issues, including an additional requirement to shop at Tescos. Nevertheless, the cat seems quite healthy, engaging in a reasonable amount of exercise : mainly fighting with other cats in the early hours of the morning. He mostly spends the rest of his time sleeping.

Returning to Jamie Oliver, I must be one of the few people not to have a followed his various TV shows, although I understand that his appearance in advertisements for Sainsburys is generally regarded as having helped improve their fortunes. It seems to me that the "Food Issue" has tended to polarise people between those who are obsessed with what they eat, and those who prefer the most convenient option, whether take-away or ready meal. Personally, I find both extremes equally unattractive. People who are fixated with food can be rather tedious. There's nothing like a foodie to make me reach for the salted peanuts, crisps and a few bottles of lager. However, a diet which consisted only of these could be quite limiting, not to say unhealthy.

Nevertheless, it has come to my attention that some people, young and old, who seem to live quite unhealthy lives in terms of what they eat and drink still stay remarkably healthly, whilst other food fad following folk are always ailing. I've no doubt this can be attributed to other factors such as genetic make-up, predisposition to allergies, and general lifestyle and wellbeing.
Personally, I have quite a fondness for oily and fatty foods. One consequence of this seems to be that I find the British Winter easier to cope with than many people. Indeed I've taken animal fats seriously ever since I heard Clarissa Dickson-Wright (my chef of preference to Jamie Oliver) say that these are an excellent tonic for seasonal adjustment disorder : No SAD for me !

Calm Down, I'm only a Pedestrian & Cyclist !

This morning's chilly wind suggests that the season of the woolly hat may be upon us. In my case, this means a fleecy Russian-looking peaked one with ear muffs, which evokes the same reaction in some people as the sight of hooded youths.

To illustrate this, shortly after the introduction of the "Hunting Ban", and attired in my woolly hat and anorak, I spotted Mr Fox himself, Michael Foster, the New Labour MP for Worcester. The subject on which I wished to speak to Mr Foster was planning, although I'm no fan of the "ban". Perhaps detecting a lack of empathy, Mr Foster, on seeing me approach him attempted to dash into the offices of the Transport and General Workers Union. However, I was too quick for him. No sooner had he disembarked from his "People Mover" than I had accosted him with hand outstretched. On hearing the words "planning", and "pedestrians and cyclists" from me, I noticed an expression of relief pass over Mr Foster's face. Equally, I had the strong impression that this was an MP of which not much useful action could be expected ! However, even on the subject on planning, Mr Foster had cause to be nervous as someone who had a swimming pool constructed in his garden without planning permission (which Worcester City Council, rather supinely in my opinion, granted retrospectively).

The great irony is that if I'm cycling along Worcestershire's country roads, similary attired in my woolly hat, and chance to meet one of the local hunts, the Master is just as likely to look nervous at my approach as Mr Foster. For my appearance no doubt evokes the possibility, if not now of a saboteur, of someone who might still regard people charging around on horses as a reminder of the class war and, therefore, legitimate target for abuse. However, my gripe with the Hunt is altogether different, and concerns the "fitness" of horses which follow hounds . The other day one horse dropped dead on the road, and whilst this was almost certainly a tragic misfortune of the kind that can happen to people out jogging, it was also a reminder of the importance of "fittening" horses in advance of the Hunting Season. In my experience, fitness work happens rather less these days than it should for a variety of reasons, and I have yet to "meet" a horse in Worcestershire myself whom I would regard as fit for hunting, although I'm sure they do exist.

The one group of people who didn't seem intimidated by my appearance were Chinese business executives (from the car industry ?) who greeted me most courteously at Droitwich railway station to inquire after the next train to Worcester. Perhaps they thought me one of few remaining English peasants : perhaps at heart I am.