tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-78632926086327193712008-10-04T19:48:14.399+01:00The political face of my ramblingsPete Robertshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15875926608968180999noreply@blogger.comBlogger29125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7863292608632719371.post-87561247062663857632008-09-25T20:25:00.002+01:002008-09-25T20:34:38.227+01:00

An old colleague once told me the key to winning EU bids is not to show how much grant money you will spend in an area but how that money will multiply within the local economy. While its seems that our PM has learnt this lesson the chancellor most definitely has not. What do I mean by this curious statement well take their two big announcements. When the chancellor decided to give home buyers

Pete Robertshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15875926608968180999noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7863292608632719371.post-46548127601714673762008-06-16T13:41:00.002+01:002008-06-16T13:55:17.704+01:00

As we ponder the way forward in Europe perhaps the devolution position in the UK is a model to consider. In Scotland the settled will suggested full law making from day one would fly while in Wales the settled will would have voted no out of hand so we have a partial solution and a roadmap to something better. The EU problem is that, to continue the analogy, they have imposed the Scottish Model

Pete Robertshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15875926608968180999noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7863292608632719371.post-3235186916397352672008-05-30T22:17:00.003+01:002008-05-30T23:54:50.045+01:00

As a GIS professional it is nice to see our field of work at the front of national politics for once. However the Tories are making a fundamental error in suggesting live data should be available to the public. Crime hotspot analysis is first and foremost an intelligence tool. By modelling where crime is occurring at different times of day it is in theory possible to quantify risk and deploy

Pete Robertshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15875926608968180999noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7863292608632719371.post-59851360088880103532008-04-18T18:55:00.002+01:002008-04-18T19:00:56.173+01:00

When you see on teletext the note veteran MP dies that first though is often I hope it isn't one of ours (followed a microsecond later by how sad for the family). Todays news I have to say leaves me feeling that it is one of ours that Parliament has lost this week. At a time when too many politicians are little more than lobby fodder for the whips it is vital for our democracy that genuine

Pete Robertshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15875926608968180999noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7863292608632719371.post-20448864496421161582008-04-18T18:51:00.003+01:002008-04-18T18:55:25.937+01:00

Are some of our poor hard working labour MPs in need of a lesson on how to read legislation? The reason I ask is they seem to have failed to understand the text of the budget measures they voted for last year with the 10p tax band.... ..or did they? I can just imagine the discussions 12 months ago MP1: "Gordon I dont like this cut is sounds so unfair on the poor?" GB: "keep quiet I'll be PM

Pete Robertshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15875926608968180999noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7863292608632719371.post-37877923483388308042008-03-07T20:31:00.002Z2008-03-07T21:00:31.390Z

Its an interesting question but quite a valid one to ask now that the terms of the Bill to compensate Northern Rock shareholders has been published. The key problem is the terms that have been set in order to determine the valuation In determining the amount of any compensation payable by the Treasury to any person in accordance with paragraphs 3 to 5, it must be assumed (in addition to the

Pete Robertshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15875926608968180999noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7863292608632719371.post-58978105108641634692008-02-25T22:44:00.003Z2008-02-25T23:07:36.269Z

There is something nice about returning to an old conference haunt after a few years away and Llandudno has to be one of the oldest for me. Last time we bought Welsh Conference here I promised our new conference chair that sunday morning would be a piece of cake and promptly got so drunk on the free post dinner shorts sponsored by S4C I didn't surface until just before midday to find out we had

Pete Robertshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15875926608968180999noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7863292608632719371.post-81677085963934998332008-02-17T23:34:00.002Z2008-02-17T23:52:43.450Z

Todays announcement of Northern Rock nationalisation is just the start of Labours problems. I like many other demutualisation shareholders have seen the writing on the wall for weeks but at the end of the day the whole fiasco should never have been allowed to happen. I hope tomorrow that Vince will ask the hard questions. The questions that seek to understand what the Chancellor was doing in

Pete Robertshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15875926608968180999noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7863292608632719371.post-30306406308600197702008-02-02T12:16:00.000Z2008-02-02T12:28:50.268Z

I have no problem with an MP employing 1, 2 or 200 members of their family so long as they are the best 200 for the job. So let me make a simple suggestion on how reform could be achieved Set up a common set of job descriptions and expected skills for the core jobs an MP may advertise (case worker, office manager, diary secretary etc). Within each area establish a job ladder of expanded skill

Pete Robertshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15875926608968180999noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7863292608632719371.post-64294120275332099232008-02-02T12:08:00.000Z2008-02-02T12:16:08.035Z

Yesterday was the first working day of the new month. On starting work I extracted all my fuel receipts from the car, pulled out my government credit card receipts opened up three spreadsheets and two web pages and completed my end of month financial return. No doubt many other civil servants did the same thing. On expenses I am governed by specific rules I have limits on hotel room costs, how

Pete Robertshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15875926608968180999noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7863292608632719371.post-8969499879652666582008-01-27T19:09:00.000Z2008-01-27T19:18:04.188Z

There but for the grace of god go I must the non atheist MPs be saying today over the supposed Alan Johnson "scandal". As far as I can see Mr X didn't want to be associated directly with funding the campaign so he asked Brother Y to give the money instead. Y was a legitimate donor and campaign Z having checked him out made the formal declarations. For the Mail on Sunday to cry sleaze is I have

Pete Robertshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15875926608968180999noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7863292608632719371.post-56922720810642371312008-01-23T18:55:00.000Z2008-01-23T19:39:55.029Z

Yes its back to our old friend the Northern Rock and the complete dogs breakfast our government have made of the whole sordid business. I've said before that the government has many unanswered questions. But the latest steps in this affair have left me decidedly underwhelmed. While I have never favoured nationalisation which puts me at odds with the party as a whole I do find myself agreeing

Pete Robertshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15875926608968180999noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7863292608632719371.post-1832952740276133392008-01-17T18:47:00.000Z2008-01-17T19:11:15.322Z

Dear oh dear Plaid dont seem to have got the hang of this being in government bit do they. No sooner is the change to the budget for local government announced than we have Dai Lloyd on the floor singing the praises of his party in securing the change. Plaid Cymru AM Dai Lloyd welcomed the final budget, saying, “Today’s announcement comes after weeks of intense activity by Plaid Cymru AMs and

Pete Robertshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15875926608968180999noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7863292608632719371.post-87181694502561247342008-01-16T18:21:00.000Z2008-01-16T18:50:53.315Z

"I love the sound of breaking glass, Especially when I'm lonely"Right now the Nick Lowe classic would be a good candidate for top of Peter Hains ilike listings if his facebook profile had one.Not content with putting the boot in to George Osbourne it now appears that 80 Tory MPs have been reported to the Electoral Commission for using unincoprorated associatiosn to channel their own campaign

Pete Robertshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15875926608968180999noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7863292608632719371.post-70648311711526168412008-01-13T18:21:00.000Z2008-01-13T21:15:16.686Z

First let me declare an interest, I am a demutualisation shareholder in Northern Rock. I had planned to sell my shares in June to finance a house move but the move fell though. Not long after the company issued a profit warning but the market advice was stay put. "Analysts at Keefe, Bruyette & Woods said that Wednesday's announcement reflected "a period-specific strain in 2007 and does not

Pete Robertshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15875926608968180999noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7863292608632719371.post-7993545588332658832008-01-13T18:10:00.000Z2008-01-13T18:21:21.481Z

I had lunch today with one of our MPs, a long term friend we specifically decided politics was off limits for the day. They did said they will be voting against the full pay rise because of all the work they were doing in support of the police claim and it would be hypocritical to do otherwise I told them I thought they were wrong and we left it at that ,but here I thought I might explain why.

Pete Robertshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15875926608968180999noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7863292608632719371.post-88668062849540645442008-01-10T13:49:00.000Z2008-01-10T14:34:04.047Z

Well there it is, the die is cast the decision made and in the public domain all that is left is securing the funding and Wales will have two more power stations. No don't get me wrong I don't mean nuclear stations I mean the plans of Mr Tomlinson of Holt and Mr Pugh of Churchstoke to turn their large supplies of cow dung into electricity. Neither scheme is very big in itself Mr Tomlinson only

Pete Robertshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15875926608968180999noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7863292608632719371.post-16065241810070410112008-01-09T12:58:00.001Z2008-01-09T13:09:57.219Z

Allthough technically based from home its rare that I am actually there so having the opportunity to see the leadership announcement and Nicks for PMQ is a bit if a shock to the system. So how did it go? Personally I thought rather well. Camerons digs about 4 leaders is not unexpected and the joke about Nick putting some distance between them by moving two seats down I think was helpful as it

Pete Robertshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15875926608968180999noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7863292608632719371.post-24768464301226585412008-01-08T23:38:00.000Z2008-01-08T23:39:55.631Z

Two very different environmental stories caught my eye today. The first via Yahoo but published in The Register deals with a small study on the viability of micro turbines in your back garden, far from being the ideal way forward as David Cameron was suggesting it would appear that in many cases the turbines would not even light one bulb let alone boil the water to melt the chocolate Tory teacup

Pete Robertshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15875926608968180999noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7863292608632719371.post-87367734723621504872008-01-07T14:07:00.001Z2008-01-07T18:32:01.487Z

Its a me too as well, it would appear these US Pres Front-runners just don't cut it with us UK liberals. Looks like I too fall into the Obama for pres camp. 73% Dennis Kucinich 72% Mike Gravel 68% Barack Obama 67% Chris Dodd 67% Joe Biden 65% John Edwards 64% Hillary Clinton 60% Bill Richardson 34% Rudy Giuliani 26% John McCain 25% Ron Paul 25% Mitt Romney 17% Mike Huckabee 15% Tom Tancredo 13%

Pete Robertshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15875926608968180999noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7863292608632719371.post-33033670133496558372007-12-23T12:05:00.000Z2007-12-23T12:09:33.975Z

Since everyone has picked up on the Times and Telegraph already I thought I would point out a nice simple little Q+A in the People (note I scan the on-line site not buy the paper). The questions are intelligent and the answers largely to the point. The Christmas presents will make you laugh.

Pete Robertshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15875926608968180999noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7863292608632719371.post-75119297896379630062007-12-18T18:14:00.000Z2007-12-18T18:36:48.990Z

511 votes is a small margin by which to become leader of a political party but when I look back on today in a few years time I suspect that I can safely say it was almost the best possible result. Why almost? Well obviously I wanted it to be 511 votes the other way but congratulations to Nick on ensuring my record on backing the runner up continues. but the best possible result? let me explain.

Pete Robertshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15875926608968180999noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7863292608632719371.post-15194820468016576212007-11-10T17:04:00.000Z2007-11-10T17:51:09.009Z

When I left the Welsh hustings last time round I was fairly convinced Ming would win but didn't really look forward to his leadership so two years on and 5 days after the event where has this years version left me. First up it has still left me to make up my mind and that is in many ways the most positive thing I can think of for our party. Neither candidate scored a knock out blow in terms of

Pete Robertshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15875926608968180999noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7863292608632719371.post-48886227545018068062007-10-19T19:15:00.000+01:002007-10-19T19:40:21.727+01:00

The closure plans announced by Gwynedd CC of 29 rural schools comes as no surprise to those of us here in Powys facing up to similar issues. While we haven't seen a big bang approach I'm sure the numbers will come out in the same sort of ball park once all the decisions are made. However before we all stand up and shoot the messenger its worth reflecting on the causes of the problem. Back in

Pete Robertshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15875926608968180999noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7863292608632719371.post-21511859003761425952007-10-18T00:40:00.000+01:002007-10-18T00:53:44.478+01:00

Well there you have it no elections for 2 years then three come along at once. Lembits decision on Saturday was a bolt from the blue, but Mikes plans to stay on were the worst kept secret in Aberystwyth. So where does that leave us here in Wales. Certainly there are those who are disappointed that Mike didn't step down with immediate effect and I include myself in them, but in many ways he has

Pete Robertshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15875926608968180999noreply@blogger.com