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.