Watford Tories in a Mess.

Watford Tories are in a spot of bother as their parliamentary candidate, Ian Oakley, has been arrested by Hertfordshire Police, since bailed, for alleged harassment of political opponents, in fact a hate campaign against the Lib Dems in Watford.  Mr Oakley is apparently a councillor for Northwood Ward in Hillingdon. It appears that Mr. Oakley is alleged to have engaged in actions such as late night nuisance ‘phone calls, poison pen letters and criminal damage in order to harass his Lib Dem opponents. we are no fans of Lib Dems this shows how desperate some Tory candidates can get in order to gain public office. We look forward to learning more about Mr. Oakley’s alleged naughty activities over the next few weeks.

Youths, Gangs, Knives, Guns & Crime.

We need to keep a sense of proportion, listnening to Sir Alan Steer on the flagship Radio 4 Today programme he quite rightly appealed to us and his interviewer Evan Davis to remember that the majority of children do not have behaviour problems, most children are sensible and repsonsible.

The pity is that the printed and electronic media fail to promote positive youth role models, many children and youths are involved in youth organizations and little is done by the media to recognze these positive role models. Instead we allow the media to promote images of youths engaged in bad behaviour, it becomes routine for BBC news programmmes to show repeated images as we saw yesterday of gangs of hoodies behaving badly thus creating a false image of how such behaviour is widespread.

We agree that there are youths and children engaged in regular bad behaviour, that some children and youths carry knives and these need to be dealt with. The police should be allowed to stop and search children or youths who may be carrying knives this however should not be just intelligence led, whatever that means, but should be random.

Government proposals to take those who carry knives to tour victims in hospital seem ridiculous headline grabbing spin, hopefully, someone will persuade the Home Secretary away from such mad cap schemes. There are sufficient powers available for the police to act and they should be allowed to do so in anyway they feel necessary.

We also believe it is time youth organizations should be encouraged and given more funds for publicity and facilities to expand. It would also help if the mass media calm down. behave with responsibility and promote positive role models and youth organizations.

London Tourist Shops - Yuk!

Yesterday, I had reason to visit a number of tourist shops in London’s Oxford Street. Looking around at various exhibits one wonders if one should feel ashamed at some of the material sold at fancy prices really reflect images and experiences of London or England.

In one shabby shop I happened to see a t-shirt with Adolf Hitler’s image extended nazi salute and the logo “World Tour 1939 -1945″ seeing this exhibit made me exit the shop pretty sharpish as I felt embarrassment, revulsion and nauseous that someone felt this garbage should be in a London tourist shop.

I was also puzzled as to why a tea towel with images of famous London buildings should have at its head the Prince of Wales emblem and the motto “Ich Dien” emblazoned: what on earth has this emblem to do with London - is London part of Wales - is the good prince aware his emblem and motto are hijacked for a rather shoddy looking tea towel - no doubt manufactured in Imperial China.

In fact many items appeared to have “made in China” stamped on them. I don’t know what others think but I have to say these tourist shops staffed in the main by shabby looking people are an embarrassment.

I can understand that many visitors to England and London like to buy souvenirs, there is nothing wrong in that - but I wonder if some sort of quality control should be initiated to encourage some fresh thinking on souvenirs that perhaps are more representative of our country let alone a capital city.

It might be sensible for the Mayor and the Greater London Authority to take a closer look at this shabby trade and see what can be done to clean it up and perhaps encourage local industry to come up with ideas for good souvenirs so that tourists can buy worthwhile and meaningful souvenirs.

Mosquito.

Mosquitos, no not the winged variety but a gadget which has been installed, (4,000) outside shops due to anti-social behaviour is apparently regarded now as a more serious nuisance to children. Al Aynsley Green the Children’s Commissioner has joined forces with Liberty to outlaw the use of mosquito alarms as the buzzing noise it emits can hurt the ears of anyone under 20.

We would agree that there is a genuine problem here as it doesn’t just create a problem for anti-social youths but innocent people under 20, including babies.  In a sense it somehow misses the point that the problem of anti-social behaviour committed by youths is merely moved on elsewhere and doesn’t solve the problem.

As we have writen before there is a real need for local and national government to provide facilities for youth so that they do not become bored and hang about outside off licenses and supermarkets.

So let’s see some policies for youths from local government councillors and mayors to create youth facilities and youth activities.

The Commons & Equal Opportunities

What is becoming a serious issue is that Members of Parliament seem to believe it’s ok to give a job to a family member and then ensure payment from public funds. It would seem that the House of Commons is the last bastion of privilege and patronage.

It is time that equal opportunities polices were made effective in the House and that Members of Parliament should be subject to equal opportunities practice and law. There is no excuse in the 21st Century for the continuation of patronage.

Dispatches - Why Kids Kill.

Channel 4s’ flagship documentary programme which recently exposed the questionable antics of Ken Livingstone’s rule in London last night aired a magnificent programme on youth crime, in particular the killings of teenagers in south London. There was some excellent footage of interviews and plenty of relevant facts highlighting the rising concern in regard to gang culture. Maybe Livingstone can spend a few million pounds providing youth centres and activities in Greater London. There was also good footage from Glasgow where gang culture is well entrenched but lacks the gratuitous use of guns so common in the major urban centres of England.

On the positive side the programme sought possible answers to counter gang culture. There is a sad neglect of the needs for youths and the reluctance of national and local governments to spend money on youth centres. There are organisations that are actively involved in filling the gap with providing youth centres and activities to overcome territorial boundaries so loved by gangs.

More should be done by local and national governments to provide facilities and activities for youth and the sooner the better. Come on Greater London Mayor, Livingstone, let’s see some of that cash you love wasting and spend it on youth centres and activities.

Parents, children & crime.

Firstly, let’s make this very clear, it is time that the media, including not just the printed but TV & radio feature more prominently positive images and stories of youth, that means good role models simply because there are youths who do play a positive role in society and the problem is that the the media as a whole concentrates solely on bad news which then gets hyped up to the maximum.

Secondly, given there is a real social problem in regard to bad behaviour and criminal behaviour from children and youths then this is an issue that must be dealt with and dealt with firmly. Parents whose children behave in criminal or anti social activities need to be brought to account if necessary their benefits; as in many cases the parents may well be single parents who apparently care little where their children are after school. We have seen a list of cases, the most recent well known case being that of the tragic story of Garry Newlove.

Children need to be taught that they have duties in society, that whilst we regard corporeal punishment as being outdated there is a need to respect those older than themselves.

We need to also consider the role of retail outlets for selling energy drinks and alcohol, perhaps the time has come to outlaw retail outlets selling energy and alcoholic drinks.

Lark Rise to Candleford.

The current BBC production of Lark Rise to Candleford is a welcome addition to the BBC’s collection of drama. The first episode of ten was screened last night. This production is brilliant. It’s been a good few years since I’ve read Flora Thompson’s Lark Rise to Candleford, a novel first published in 1939; it chronicles life in a fictional Oxfordshire village and it’s neighbouring market town in Victorian England at the end of the 19th century. The cast selection is superb. Another recent good BBC production was an adaptation  of Jane Austin’s Sense & Sensibility published 1811. Good cast selection and filming. I hope that these productions will encourage TV viewers to go a find a copy of these novels and read them, they will find themselves enriched.

Drugs Policy.

The cancer of drug taking is a serious issue, those who indulge in such activities are found in all classes, all trades, all professions. It is proving extremely difficult to deal with. But, I get rather alarmed when people who should know better believe relaxation is the road to progress. This is I believe dangerous talk. God knows we have enough problems with anti-social behaviour and drunk driving associated with alcohol one wonders indeed how many drivers are driving under the influence of banned drugs. I remain hostile to any liberalization in regard to drugs policy. We need effective policing to root out supply and use, drug taking and supply should remain a criminal offence.

Banks, money, money, money…

Banks, money, money, money…can we not wonder at the financial crisis due to not only the crisis in the mortgage sub prime market in the USA: also due to the Bank of England Monetary Policy Committee raising interest rates and the Chancellor of the Exchequer must accept some responsibilty for contributing to the crisis becoming worse here. Mr. Darling’s recent wisdoms are not helping the crisis and most financial institutions are responsible lenders, like Nero fiddled while Rome burnt, Mr Darling has permitted recent interest rate rises to take effect - this is unsatisfactory.

The crisis now would be helped if the “old lady of Threadneedle Street” took the courage to cut interest rates with immediate effect, this may help to create confidence in our financial institutions.