Entries from October 2005 ↓

Today has been a politics free day and it feels great. I’ve avoided the papers and the calls.

I took Mrs Watson to see the baggies humiliated at football. The boy was looked after by his grandma. This is a big deal in our house – he’s only ever been left witout one of us for an hour and 45 before.

Now, itunes is on shuffle mode and I’m reading a book of Pablo Neruda poems that Mrs W. has dug out of a box. If only the rest of the week could be like this.

I don’t mind the BBC making a bob or two by selling stuff on their shows. I don’t even mind the beloved Today programme selling £12.50 egg cups shaped in the characture of some of their presenters. What I can’t accept is that they’ve left out Carolyn Quinn. She presents the Today programme; why can’t they make her an egg cup?

A certain irony in a very famous advertising person calling women “crap” and blaming the blogging medium for his demise. Nancy Vonk seems to have lit the blue touch paper.

What on earth has gone on in Birmingham? The eruption of violence last night is shocking. I’ve talked to my colleague Khalid Mahmood MP who has spent the day talking to police, councillors, community and faith groups to calm the situation down. I hope they are all successful.

They’re having an internal election and half killing each other. Whatever David Cameron has or hasn’t done, he’s sketching out his views of a future Conservative party. David Davis is playing the man not the ball and who will be the loser in that? The Conservative party of course. Will they ever learn?

Update (17:29): Clarke drops out.

Whilst on the subject of publications, my dangerous friend to know, Philip Cowley has a book out the week after next. The Rebels will basically be the insiders guide to parliamentary rebellions. This guy knows more about the voting behaviour of MPs than any other human being. In short, he is the stato of parliamentary divisions. Who else for example, would work out that an MP doing 20 years in parliament attending 60% of votes would spend a month in the division lobbies? This mildly depressing statistic is only surpassed by my own little extrapolation. If I continue in parliament (voters of West Bromwich willing) until retirement age then I will have spent a year of my life in hotel rooms in Blackpool. Labour Party, TUC, Amicus and other union and student conferences have already got me near the six month mark. No offence to Blackpool intended but it does make you assess where your life is going.

Leighton Andrews is writing a book on Britishness and the BBC. He’s set up a weblog to help in with the endeavour – see Blogging the Beeb. It’s a fascinating way of getting differnet views into your primary research. I hope that friends and foe of the Beeb choose to take part in the discussion at his blog and look forward to reading the book when it is published.

I had a very productive meeting with Councillor Bob Badham about the Red House in Red House park. For those not familiar with this somewhat hidden part of Sandwell, Red House park is hidden just off the Newton Road. The friends of Red House park are an active, civic minded group who have the best interests of the park, the building in it and their wider community at heart. In short, they’re a credit to Sandwell. Councillor Badham informed me that the finest minds are working on a plan to preserve the house. He gave me his absolute assurance that there are no plans to demolish the building and that he wants to give the house a sustainable and secure future.

I’ve recently picked up a long-sleeved sleeved T-shirt for the boy that I’d love to show you. I can’t though, because of my promise to Mrs W. Also, it would probably get me the sack.

It got me thinking though. There must be a market amongst the poor children of left leaning middle class parents in the UK if there’s one in the states.

Self-awareness is as rare as loyalty amongst politicians.

Liberal Democrat leader John Hemming knows when to stand up for policies like decriminalising Class ‘A’ drugs and when to support a first past the post election.

“People used to think of me as a bit of a geek…But I now seem to have turned into some kind of James Bond character” says John Hemming. Like I said, self-awareness is a rare old thing.

OK I’m a labour MP so I’m biased, but this summer I’ve visited a lot of schools and seen great improvement. Lots of investment has gone into schools in the last 12 months. I keep seeing new buildings, new equipment, lots of computers and better sports facilities. Today, Sandwell’s own Betty Boothroyd is in town to open a new extension to Wodensborough.

I have to admit that the leadership race for the Conservative Party is getting interesting. I listened to David Davis on Radio 4 yestereday and he sounded suicidal. David Cameron has been charming albeit a little slick. Ken Clarke has been Ken Clarke. Liam Fox is squeezing David Davis from the right so seems to be making ground. I just don’t understand why they haven’t given Edward Leigh a slot at the rostrum.

Last time they had a leadership race I managed to blog the result before the BBC got it out. I might try and do it again next week.