Originally published @ 10:48 pm, Sun 6th Jun 2010
Some recognition today that more needed and needs to be done to help local people get local jobs. Both Ed Balls and David Miliband have spoken on the matter, with David Miliband saying – “the Agency Workers Directive, which prevents undercutting of wages, that's not yet been brought in. We should have brought that in earlier.” http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/andrew_marr_show/8724541.stm I think he was going to make a point about exploitation, but Andrew Marr decided he had to butt in. Hey ho.
Some routine surveying with Nottingham East MP Chris Leslie yesterday – Chris reports “The residents’ survey went down really well and it was a great opportunity to hear first hand concerns about car crime, traffic rat-running and other local problems that need to be addressed.”
I went to Vernon Coaker MP’s victory social on Friday (he held Gedling, which covers the towns of Arnold and Carlton) and was challenged to start the karaoke. I agreed providing it was “Panic” by the Smiths. I figured I was safe cos a) DJs never have the Smiths and b) and DJs never have “Panic” the song’s chorus line is “Hang the DJ!” (It’s metaphorical of course; I’m against capital punishment and such punishment is way too cruel for playing pop music.) Ooops. It was the only song by the Smiths he’d got. Trapped, I compromised and went for “Things can only get better” – forgetting how high the song goes. Ooops again. Singing low, Jim Reeves style, with a Salopian accent just didn’t seem to fit the song.
I hope the song bodes well for my job-hunting. I filled in an application form and found I was being asked if there were any restrictions on my employment. One third of a page later, I thought, yep, time to declare I’m not going to seek re-election to Nottingham City Council for Mapperley ward next year.
For this next year, I have though picked up a post on the Council, chairing the Young Nottingham Select Committee (whose role is scrutinising Children’s Services). I hope my experience as a peer inspector of other councils and a Chair of Governors for 12 years can help me bring a bit of zip to the committee.
Dominant news of the week has been the shooting rampage in Cumbria. I agree that we should know the facts before making a judgment, but it’s striking that public reaction in last night’s YouGov poll is clear - 69% of people wanted to see tighter regulation of guns (made up of 31% who supported a total ban, and 38% for tighter restrictions). One group – BASC – sought to pin down Parliamentary candidate’s positions before the election – something I didn’t want to join in cos you can’t foresee the kind of event we had this week. I met some of their members on the doorstep during the campaign and they were both reasonable and could demonstrate their concern for conservation too. I hope such groups are thinking hard now about what they can suggest to mitigate the risk once the facts are fully known.
Less helpful has again been some of the news coverage (particularly on Sky News), which couldn’t resist digs at the police cos they wouldn’t release more information sooner or in a more modern way. Cynical and horrible to watch.
All of which puts the fate of England’s World Cup squad into some kind of perspective. Bewailing injury jinxes seemed well out of proportion when you see the Ivory Coast’s Didier Drogba having his arm broken by a Japanese midfielder leading with his knee. Watching a collection of “World Cup Shockers” on TV, what was more striking is how England look to be most vulnerable to very poor decisions by referees (Maradona punching the ball in, in 1986) and failing to protect our players being wound up (Paul Gascoigne, 1990; David Beckham, 1998 and Wayne Rooney, 2006). And before people shout about Geoff Hurst’s shot not crossing the line, let’s remember the German equaliser that led to extra time was handball.
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