Plans to build a new road between Oxford and Cambridge as well as a raft of new housing are added to the plans already under way to reopen the Oxford Cambridge link which was the reason Bletchley was chosen for the codebreaking centre during the war and which Dr Beeching axed between 1963 and 1965.
I am not sure Lord Hain was “arrogant”, but he certainly demonstrates that the law of Parliamentary privilege as it now stands allows parliamentarians to subvert the independence of the Judiciary which must be against the spirit of our democracy even if it is legal. When we judge other countries across Europe and into Eastern Europe particularly, we set great store on the independence of the legal process. This sends a message that, with all the best intentions, we do not really share the same standards that we expect of others.
It would be a different matter, I think, (and this must be the purpose of the original law of Parliamentary privilege) if Lord Hain felt compelled to name Sir Philip Green in a debate, let’s say, on the effectiveness and justice of Non Disclosure Agreements, but that debate was taken up outside the House by Vince Cable.
If someone like the loathsome Tommy Robinson/ aka Stephen Yaxon Lennon can be held in contempt of court for rather less sensational revelations, it seems madness that Lord Hains’ pronouncement is acceptable. The problem is not only Parliamentary privilege but the self-righteousness implicit in claiming that there is a public interest in “knowing”. Lord Hain’s actions, therefore, would seem to pretty well exonerate Robinson who is contesting the original sentence, and whose own case was adjourned only a few days’ ago because it was considered too complex. Gaoling Robinson back in May, the Judge had said, “People have to understand that if they breach court orders, there will be very real consequences”. Clearly not, if they are standing in the House of Lords.
Here are some sketches from watching the trailer of Mary Poppins returns along with two youtube links-
Julie Walters plays Ellen
Mary Poppins provides some specific parenting advice- that a smooth house is based on order, that mavericks need a system which can be broken with some care- Mary Poppins is essentially two people- the disciplinarian and the mischievous fairy- when there is a clash she simply refuses to explain or denies that anything odd has ever happened. “Or I’ll call a policeman”. It is harder to pull off as an average mortal, but all children need both the boundaries and the experience of breaking those boundaries. I think it also helps if children have a wider circle of trustworthy adults they can consult, especially when things go wrong. The family sadly does not have all the answers all the time.
There is a similar wealth of good advice in Mrs Doubtfire.
I love the “Step in Time” tribute in the trailers and also the 2d animation sequence.
here is a picture of Mary Poppins’ arrival:
Peter Hain was able to “out” Sir Philip Green because of a 1689 bill that established “Parliamentary Privilege” granting freedom of speech and a right that whoever speaks in the house “may not be impeached or questioned” by a Court. This, then, overturns the various injunctions that Sir Philip had laboured to put in place.
We may , of course, feel that Sir Philip should not have been allowed to “buy” even a temporary injunction. This is a form of privacy afforded the wealthy alone. And certainly the BBC should reflect on their own treatment of celebrities like Cliff Richard… but the law should be blind and should be allowed to get on with its business.
The evident joy in the newsroom should, however, be tempered by a reflection that, frankly, the British media has aided and abetted the sort of bullying behaviour that is alleged and that has been going on all over the place for years.
I did some work on this programme and other episodes in the series for Nick Gillam- Smith, and watched it this morning in its broadcast form. Well worth seeing- I did some sketches towards the end of the programme which are here – mostly connected with the princes in the tower.
3 MPs have quit an important committee because it is chaired by the speaker, John Bercow. The issue is bullying which is something that I have spoken about earlier.It is a great shame that the Speaker has decided to hang on for a further year- I am afraid it will end in torrid disgrace, and now would be the time to bow out quickly and with as much dignity as possible. He has been badly advised. He should have gone a few weeks’ ago. This is not about whether he is or is not a bully- I have seen bullies and frankly he does not seem the type, but who knows outside his office. He could be a tyrant over the typewriter. It suggests, however, he is not good at reading the mood– about himself or others. That single ability sums up his job and if he cannot do that he is a lame duck speaker. That alone suggests it is just a matter of time before the good members of the house of commons start to walk all over him.
Here is my comment on bullying, for what it is worth.
Here is a picture of Jamal Khashoggi
While events were ongoing in Turkey, the Crown Prince, one of the major players in this increasingly dangerous game was attending the Riyadh Investment Forum despite the absence of a number of significant Westerners, JPMorgan Chas, Siemans and so on, surely not implicit boycotters. I have just drawn him- The Crown Prince, a man who appears so charismatic, caught up in a mess beyond his conytrol. It beggars belief.
Still life goes on – though not for Khashoggi.
12 megadeals, amounting to $50 billion, cemented in Riyadh this morning just as President Erdogan began speaking in Ankara. That is almost 17 times the wealth of the Crown Prince himself.
A few hours’ ago President Erdogan revealed his information. In fact, most of it had already been leaked by the various security briefings over the last few weeks. Erdogan gave a general summary of the evidence so far. So, not quite the “naked truth” that he had promised. But nevertheless, fairly sensational.
“Saudi Arabia has taken an important step by admitting the murder,” he observed but added that he was concerned about “inconsistent statements” produced by the consulate authorities over the course of the investigation and that there appeared to be a “local collaborator”who might have disposed of the body of Khashoggi.
He did not name Saud al-Qahtani who seems to have been involved in a skype chat. Maybe footage of that chat has been intercepted by the MIT men?
The event was covered live on Turkish tv, TRT world and a fairly good summary was then broadcast by Al Jezeera with the title “live” above it but the lag was sufficient for me to have watched both versions!
animate-tim.com 