by Paul Scully | Nov 16, 2007 | News |
There was a strange exchange in the House of Commons yesterday. A change to the format has allowed MPs to ask for a topical debate. This takes the form of a general debate about a current issue without a vote at the end. Yesterday’s debate was on immigration.
Damian Green, Shadow Minister for Immigration, was rightly highlighting the latest scandal to hit the Home Office when Lyn Brown, Labour MP for West Ham said,
“Could the hon. Gentleman let me know whether he is going to debate immigration today? If he is, I am happy to stay and listen; if he is not, I have letters to sign.”
Two things struck me. Firstly does she ever write any letters or merely sign off other people’s work. Secondly have her constituents put her in Parliament to sign letters or to represent their views on the important matters of the day.
This was the news that up to 5000 people working in high-profile security positions may be illegal immigrants and the fact that Jacqui Smith, Secretary of State promptly ordered her civil servants to cover up the story.
![Seb Coe Explodes at Cost of Olympics]()
by Paul Scully | Nov 12, 2007 | News |
This photo courtesy of the Press Association shows the fire near the Olympic site as shown from Westminster Bridge. With the 2012 stadium costing a cool £496,000,000 to build, no-one would have been surprised to hear “It costs how much?” echoing around Stratford as smoke poured from Seb’s ears.
by Paul Scully | Nov 11, 2007 | News |
I met Peter Bruinvels at my second remembrance service today, who looks after the British Legion in Surrey and South London. He was pleased with the turnout at the Civic ceremony at the War Memorial in Cheam and the service in St Dunstan’s Church. He informed me that the Borough of Sutton collected the second highest amount in his area, raising around £90,000 for our veterans.
This is a fantastic amount of money even if some of us do end up buying several poppies because we lose them or a BBC journalist forgets to return them:)
The Legion has run a very powerful campaign to push the government to honour the ‘Military Covenant’. We ask the armed forces to protect our freedom and security by doing things that we just simply would never imagine doing. The government is being pressed to keep its end of the bargain by ensuring that they have the kit and manpower that they require, the family support and accommodation that they deserve, and the best medical care that we can give. This is something that I wholeheartedly back as I am sure that you do.
by Paul Scully | Nov 11, 2007 | News |
BBC London picked up on the story about cutbacks in services ending the traditional marking of the 2 minute silence and put it as their main headline on Saturday evening. By the time ITV called the police whilst researching the story, they were told that the firing of two maroons at 11am and 11.02am would go ahead. Rumours that since they couldn’t fire Sir Ian Blair, someone wanted to fire something were wide of the mark. Anyway, job done, sanity restored.
I went to the ceremony at the war memorial on Carshalton ponds this morning and joined around 250 people in paying tribute to those who enable us to have the freedoms that we enjoy today. This blog is one such freedom. I’ll finish with a passage that was read by Father John Thewlis of All Saints Church, Carshalton who lead the ceremony. It is the Kohima Epitaph on the World War II memorial for the Allied fallen at the battle of Kohima, a crucial battle in the Burma campaign.
“When You Go Home, Tell Them Of Us And Say,
For Their Tomorrow, We Gave Our Today.”
![Seb Coe Explodes at Cost of Olympics]()
by Paul Scully | Nov 9, 2007 | News |
The Evening Standard reported today of a sad end of a tradition in Sutton. In years past, Maroon rockets have been fired in local parks to signal the beginning and the end of the two minute silence on Rembrance Day. The loud fireworks were lit by members of the Sutton Parks Police, the unit that was axed earlier this year to cut Council costs. They have been replaced by a dedicated team from the Met Police who have claimed that they cannot use the maroons on Health & Safety grounds.
Coming a week after £20,000+ worth of fireworks were lit in Carshalton Park with hundreds of people watching close by, I am more than a little taken aback by this. You can see the whole article by clicking on the picture, but I’ll just quote my colleague, Cllr. Barry Russell who said
“I don’t know why we are pandering to the health and safety brigade on what is a very important day. The cost is absolutely negligible and I know of very few people who wouldn’t say that this is the least we can do when you think about the price that our servicemen and women paid for us.
“I don’t think the fact is widely known yet but when it is there are a lot of people who will be truly incensed. I can understand that the Met are concerned about health and safety at the moment but this is ridiculous.”
Well, the fact is wider known now. Let me know how you feel.
by Paul Scully | Nov 9, 2007 | News |
…when I read the list of most ridiculous laws as compiled by the Daily Mail. As we approach December, I’ll have to remember to watch out for the Christmas sweetmeats police as I tuck into my dinner on the 25th.
Law abiding as I am, I do try to keep to the first law by not dying at work. This has its origins in the fact that Parliament is still classed as a royal palace. Anyone that is unfortunate enough to keel over in the Chamber or its environs will be reported as dying on the way to St Thomas’ Hospital which is on the other side of Westminster Bridge.
Here’s the list in full:-
- It is illegal to die in the Houses of Parliament
- It is an act of treason to place a postage stamp bearing the British monarch upside-down
- In Liverpool, it is illegal for a woman to be topless except as a clerk in a tropical fish store
- Mince pies cannot be eaten on Christmas Day
- In Scotland, if someone knocks on your door and requires the use of your toilet, you must let them enter
- A pregnant woman can legally relieve herself anywhere she wants, including in a policeman’s helmet
- The head of any dead whale found on the British coast automatically becomes the property of the king, and the tail of the queen
- It is illegal to avoid telling the tax man anything you do not want him to know, but legal not to tell him information you do not mind him knowing
- It is illegal to enter the Houses of Parliament in a suit of armour
- In the city of York it is legal to murder a Scotsman within the ancient city walls, but only if he is carrying a bow and arrow
