Mayoral Referenda – The View From Other Cities
Ken Livingston: “It concentrates too much power in one person’s hands”
Mayors: Referendum question contains crucial inaccuracies
Wording on ballot paper flawed.
Mayoral referendum: Observations from Sunday’s Mayoral Debate
Dave Woodhall reports back on yesterday’s Mayoral ‘debate’.
So much for the Mayoral Mandate
An argument regularly used to support the call for directly elected mayors is that whoever wins will thus have a mandate from the public to carry out their programme or manifesto….. the reality is not so straightforward.
Mayors: Blind Faith
Dave Woodhall continues the mayoral debate
Mayors – Serious Problems Need Serious Solutions
… it is not the gimmicks and political beauty contests that surround an elected mayor that Birmingham needs.
DaveDave and Cleggo Fail To Mate: Wait ‘Til Next Year Say Experts.
From Our Animal Mating correspondent Professor Howard Elston (DOA) Two giant pandas who zookeepers tried to mate have failed in their combined attempt to make babies. Male panda DaveDave and his submissive mate Cleggo had only a 48 hour window to breed. But experts at Redditch’s internationally renowned zoo,…
Why This New Surveillance Bill Must Be Stopped
by Richard Lutz The Chinese artist Ai Wei Wei today was banned from videoing himself at home and posting it on a website. Whether he is doing this for artistic reasons- a kind of self imposed voyeur’s piece de resistance– or whether he is doing it in protest against state snooping- a real piece of…
Cowardly Cameron
David Cameron was ‘a bit busy’ and didn’t make it to The Commons yesterday to defend his party’s behaviour over the cash for access scandal. Richard Lutz has this to say: So, let me get it straight. The Conservatives get radical over allowing Prime Ministerial access for six figure sums. They get caught red handed…
Libdems in ‘Cash for Access Bribe’ Scandal
Howard Elston, our Westminster reporter, reveals vital new facts over the Cash for Access Row
An Elected Mayor: A good move for Birmingham?
The Co-operative Party – Birmingham Branch – cordially invites you to join them for a debate
Cablevision: Libdem to ‘Fight in US Elections’
Our diplomatic editor Howard K. Elston files another political scoop
Walsall Labour report Lib Dems join Tories in attack on the most vulnerable
Lib Dems and Tories on Walsall council joined together last night to vote through a budget that will reduce social care in the borough by £22 million over three years.
Revealed: The Secret NHS Reforms
In an explosive scoop interview with no one else but me, deputy Tory leader Nick Clegg has told me, exclusively, how the NHS reforms will work once they are railroaded through Parliament. Top points are: ++As revealed on this site months ago, A new DIY health care package that sees patients perform minor surgery on…
“Walsall council’s spin doctoring backfires”, says Labour
“Walsall Council’s attempt to prove that the retail sector in the borough isn’t facing a complete catastrophe has proved a disaster”
Fighting the Cuts at the Banner Theatre
Banner Theatre presents the Birmingham premier of FIGHTING THE CUTS
Terry and Huhne in Major Jobs Swop- Exclusive
Britain has been rocked to its very footballing boots by a shock double jobs exchange. Howard ‘The Topman’ Elston with this breathless scoop
Twitchers Celebrate Arrival of The Lesser Clegg- Shock News
Howard Elston, our avian correspondent, with news from the marshes of Britain.
One in six people in Walsall rely on out of work benefits
Walsall Labour claim the Government’s latest figures for unemployment in Walsall massively underestimate the number of people without work
Hollywood Star in Bid To Become Scots New Boss- Exclusive
Howard McElston, our North of Carlisle reporter, puts down his claymore to tell us about developments in Tartanonia.
Clegg To ‘Become North Korean Number Two’ – Shock News
Our diplomatic editor Sir Howard Elston reveals The Big Scoop for 2012 Coalition hardman Nick Clegg today made a dramatic bid for power when he secretly signed on as North Korea’s deputy leader, it is understood. He is to become Number Two in the Pyongyang dynasty under chubby panda-like boss Kim Jong Un. Nick, resplendent…
UK Fiscal Plan Is ‘Nectar Of the Gods’- Fact
Our economics reporter, Sir Howard Elston, analyses the latest shock move by the government to rescue the UK from the hurricane of Euro fiscal disaster. The British Lion roared last night as it launched its latest campaign to buoy up sterling. In an effort to throw frogs’ legs into the face of the French and…
Clegg to Leave Government- Another Howard Elston Exclusive
Howard Elston, our Westminster editor, files this shock report on Nick Clegg’s sudden decision that he will leave government this week
FoE respond to the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement
“Throwing billions of pounds at roads and dirty energy will increase our dependency on gas, coal and oil and lock cash-strapped homes and businesses into spiraling fuel bills.”
Autumn Forecast Statement by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rt Hon George Osborne MP
Much of Europe now appears to be heading into a recession caused by a chronic lack of confidence in the ability of countries to deal with their debts.
Stating the obvious
Rather than setting up expensive and time-consuming enquiries, the government would do better looking on here.
Shock Report: Dr Fox to ‘Guard The Olympics’
Dr Liam Fox will be deployed to protect the The London Olympics next year, according to secret defence plans being drawn up deep within the bowels of the MOD. The former defence minister, who left because he has mates he likes, will be used as a shield against sinister forces who want to disrupt our…
On mayors and other leaders
Alan Clawley considers what it might mean to have an elected mayor in Birmingham.
Our Howard Joins The Ranks of The Powerful
Yes, indeed, I have been hired by the former defence chief Lee Fox to head up his new research team. I will be a special advisor advising him on really important advising things now that he has decided to seek new horizons after playing with big armaments and body armour. Confirmation reached me today as…
The Mushroom: On politics, conferences and Cameron…. and P45s
The Mushroom reckons it’s been a long time since politics was actually discussed at party conferences