Tom Watson - Labour MP http://www.tom-watson.co.uk/ Copyright 2006 Thu, 07 Dec 2006 11:17:46 +0000 http://www.movabletype.org/?v=3.33 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss The wisdom of children Father Christmas: What would you like for Christmas young lady?
Niece Ellen: A plastic box and a cheese sandwich

Perplexed grandmother: Why do you keep weeing on the floor
Small child: To make mummy angry

Parent: What would you like to get your cousin for Christmas
Small Child: Can we wrap my little brother up and give him?

]]> http://www.tom-watson.co.uk/archives/2006/12/the_wisdom_of_children.html http://www.tom-watson.co.uk/archives/2006/12/the_wisdom_of_children.html being a parent Thu, 07 Dec 2006 11:17:46 +0000 Gowers review In an early post, I'd talked about the Gowers Review that was considering extending the copyright term for recorded artists to over 50 years. He chosen not to do that and the BPI are not happy about it. The extended link has their press release about the matter.

]]> http://www.tom-watson.co.uk/archives/2006/12/gowers_review.html http://www.tom-watson.co.uk/archives/2006/12/gowers_review.html music Wed, 06 Dec 2006 18:10:57 +0000 You witness Make your own news, or rather, report your own news. Making up the news would of course be a terrible thing and it doesn't happen. Ask any journalist.

]]> http://www.tom-watson.co.uk/archives/2006/12/you_witness.html http://www.tom-watson.co.uk/archives/2006/12/you_witness.html television Wed, 06 Dec 2006 16:37:09 +0000 London to Brighton - a must see Well I got to see London to Brighton yesterday. It drowns you in unpleasantness. It was even bleaker than a David Davis speech. You must see it.

]]> http://www.tom-watson.co.uk/archives/2006/12/london_to_brighton_a_must_see.html http://www.tom-watson.co.uk/archives/2006/12/london_to_brighton_a_must_see.html film Wed, 06 Dec 2006 11:27:08 +0000 Tony Lloyd is the new PLP chair Tony Lloyd has just defeated Ann Clwyd in the election for Chair of the Parliamentary Labour Party. The result was Lloyd 169, Clwyd 156 with one spoilt paper.

]]> http://www.tom-watson.co.uk/archives/2006/12/tony_lloyd_is_the_new_plp_chai.html http://www.tom-watson.co.uk/archives/2006/12/tony_lloyd_is_the_new_plp_chai.html labour party Tue, 05 Dec 2006 18:53:48 +0000 Shellfish wars If ever there was a story that shows how a globalised economy needs regulating, it is the Young's prawns saga. Here is a company that collect prawns in Scottish waters. They have decided that to remain economically lean they will ship the prawns to Thailand for peeling and then ship them back for sale in the UK market. This will devastate a Scottish coastal village and must significantly increase carbon emissions. It's hardly a model of sustainability is it?

So how do you ensure a company like Youngs do the right thing? It is a great challenge for us all and I haven't got all the answers. One thing is for sure though. If we are to stop this sort of nonsense, we have to strengthen international institutions not weaken them.

]]> http://www.tom-watson.co.uk/archives/2006/12/shellfish_wars.html http://www.tom-watson.co.uk/archives/2006/12/shellfish_wars.html environment Tue, 05 Dec 2006 13:13:38 +0000 NASA They're only building a flippin' moon base. How cool is that?

]]> http://www.tom-watson.co.uk/archives/2006/12/nasa.html http://www.tom-watson.co.uk/archives/2006/12/nasa.html General Tue, 05 Dec 2006 12:28:47 +0000 How do you make a great film for £80,000? I'm really looking forward to seeing London to Brighon this week. From all the reviews, Paul Williams and Christopher Ross (inspired by Ben Moulden) are going to make a massive difference to the British film industry. They've had to struggle to make this film for a staggering £80k. I hope it was worth it for them. I'll tell you what the film is like when I've seen it but just to support up an coming British talent, I think you should see it too. The first week box office takings are life or death to a film.

]]> http://www.tom-watson.co.uk/archives/2006/12/how_do_you_make_a_film_for_800.html http://www.tom-watson.co.uk/archives/2006/12/how_do_you_make_a_film_for_800.html film Mon, 04 Dec 2006 13:13:52 +0000 Quick poll Following on from the News of the World article, I'm going to investigate this issue further. What do you think though?

Should councils disclose the income they get from mobile phone companies?
Yes - it's in the public interest   No - it's commercially sensitive     

]]> http://www.tom-watson.co.uk/archives/2006/12/quick_poll.html http://www.tom-watson.co.uk/archives/2006/12/quick_poll.html environment Mon, 04 Dec 2006 12:42:47 +0000 News of the World The News of the World carries a great piece of investigative journalism in the current issue. They used the Freedom of Information Act to draw up a list of the councils who derive an income from phone masts. My own council, Sandwell, generates £119,000 a year from mobile companies. This appears to be the highest in the region, although Birmingham did not disclose the figures. They should, it's in the public interest.

Though Sandwell raised the most income, at least they did not license masts on school building like Staffordshire County Council.

This is a really intelligent use of the Freedom of Information Act that I am sure will have an impact on future policy decisions of local councils.

]]> http://www.tom-watson.co.uk/archives/2006/12/news_of_the_world.html http://www.tom-watson.co.uk/archives/2006/12/news_of_the_world.html environment Mon, 04 Dec 2006 08:51:58 +0000 Jon Cruddas - the new Howard Dean? A really interesting analysis at Omar's blog. He poses the question whether Jon Cruddas could be the new Howard Dean?. Dean, says Omar, pursued a 50-state strategy and revitatlised grass roots campaigning amongst the Democrats.

Omar also makes the Joe Trippi comparison because Jon does not personally blog on his own site. He's obviously obeying the rule that you should never let the candidate write anything. A bit too late for me I think ;0)

]]> http://www.tom-watson.co.uk/archives/2006/12/jon_cruddas_the_new_howard_dea.html http://www.tom-watson.co.uk/archives/2006/12/jon_cruddas_the_new_howard_dea.html deputy leadership election Sun, 03 Dec 2006 23:04:00 +0000 Singing for your supper The Conservatives say that they are writing to the Commons authorities to clarify whether holding fundraising dinners in the private dining rooms of the House is banned under parliamentary rules. This response to the Sunday Times is at best disingenuous - the rules are crystal clear that you can't use parliament's dining rooms to make money. The Tories have been caught out and are in trouble on this. I was surprised that it wasn't the splash in the Sunday Times.

]]> http://www.tom-watson.co.uk/archives/2006/12/singing_for_your_supper.html http://www.tom-watson.co.uk/archives/2006/12/singing_for_your_supper.html conservative party Sun, 03 Dec 2006 16:31:42 +0000 Grow your brain
22 ways to increase your brain power. Strangely, the one about getting elected to parliament appears to be missing.

]]> http://www.tom-watson.co.uk/archives/2006/12/grow_your_brain.html http://www.tom-watson.co.uk/archives/2006/12/grow_your_brain.html From Tom Sun, 03 Dec 2006 10:33:35 +0000 Things I've learnt this weekend 1. Small children are adept at unscrewing the lids from mascara to create sofa art.
2. Unleaded petrol is not very good at propelling diesel engined cars.
3. I have a constituent who has been kidnapped by aliens and taken to a secret location under the Five Ways in Birmingham

All in all, it has been an eventful 24 hours.

]]> http://www.tom-watson.co.uk/archives/2006/12/things_ive_learnt_this_weekend.html http://www.tom-watson.co.uk/archives/2006/12/things_ive_learnt_this_weekend.html From Tom Sat, 02 Dec 2006 19:52:29 +0000 Kids and guns in China Chinese military weaponry for kids

]]> http://www.tom-watson.co.uk/archives/2006/12/kids_and_guns_in_china.html http://www.tom-watson.co.uk/archives/2006/12/kids_and_guns_in_china.html China Sat, 02 Dec 2006 15:57:45 +0000