Monthly Archives: May 2010

The Great Political Debate: Part 3: Conservative – Why You Would be Mad to Vote For Labour and Why I’m a Conservative

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By James Yardley

A response to Alain Lewis

Thanks for the article as a Conservative supporter voting for the first time it’s really interesting to know how supporters of other parties think. I guess I feel a bit like you did in 1987 and 1992 at the moment. I wonder how people can still vote for Labour after the last 13 years. However reading your article helped me understand a bit better.

You are right there are some good things Labour has done, giving the bank of England independence, introducing the minimum wage and investing more heavily in health and education but this was all introduced when Labour first came to power. Everything since has been a complete disaster and I can’t believe anyone would vote for them with the record they have.

The Wars – Lies for going to war in Iraq (Al Qaeda justification, WMD), trying to fight two wars on a peace time budget, a lack of proper equipment and vehicles leading to greater casualties than there should have been. No planning for after the war.

NHS computers systems – A waste of £12 billion which makes peoples job harder

Schools – Only teach the test, standards are no better exams have got easier, teachers have no power, schools are run as democracies.

ID cards and a massive national database – A waste of billions with absolutely no purpose other than to centralise power and exert greater control over the individual, quite frankly dangerous and bad for our democracy

Needing a licence to protest and building millions of CCTV cameras, Arresting people for shouting out the names of the dead outside number 10 – Fascist, dangerous and undemocratic

Brown and Mandelson unelected – It’s a disgrace that Gordon Brown thinks he has the right to govern having not been elected by either the British people or his own party. Even worse is that Mandelson, twice embroiled in major corruption scandals, also unelected is somehow the second most powerful man in the country. Are we living in a democracy? Are people really just going to accept this?

Spin The whole 13years have been characterised by image, deception and spin. Every attempt has been made to hide the real truth.

Numerous broken manifesto promises – Completely unforgivable broken promises about tuition fees and a referendum on the Lisbon treaty. There are tens of others as well some though not all of which can be attributed to the financial crisis.

Economy – The Golden rules proved to be more spin and were broken at the first test, borrowing and spending far more than was affordable. In 1997 the deficit was 6 billion, today it is 160 and the national debt has doubled.

Policing – The police waste hours filling out endless paper work. As a result you never see them on the street.

Reforming benefits – Millions of people on incapacity benefits who shouldn’t be

What is worst and most shocking of all is that Labour has completely abandoned the very people it is supposed to represent. The gap between the wealthiest and the poorest has grown considerably. There is less social mobility than ever before. Labour has done nothing to break the cycle. Those who most need help getting into work have not been helped effectively. The 10p tax initiative summed up the whole situation. This is why I respect Richard Wright who wrote the first article because although I disagree with his politics he won’t settle for the Labour party as it is today.

Alain argues that David Cameron is trying to force private schools into the state sector. But that’s not David Cameron that’s a Labour policy. The government academy scheme (which Cameron does support and wants to expand). That says it all. The Labour party is not representative of its supporters but because they won’t vote for anyone else and Labour knows they can get away with it.

How can anyone vote for this party when they so clearly have no morality or integrity whatsoever? It is blatantly obvious that the Labour party cares only about itself. It will always put themselves first before the interests of the country. This is where our politics has gone so wrong. It’s time to start putting the people first again.

I’m a Conservative because I believe in giving power to the individual. Letting people live their own lives but still supporting them when they need help. We need to devolve power to a local level, allowing local communities to make their own decisions instead of some bureaucrat in Whitehall. That’s why I’m supporting David Cameron’s big society.

The Labour party has always sought to expand the power of the state. Every decision is controlled from the centre. They’ve tried to bring in ID cards and national databases. Everyone is treated as a statistic. This is not only inefficient and wasteful but it is also dangerous. An overly powerful state is bad for our democracy. The state has a role but it should be there to support you not to tell you how to live your life.

Budgets have seen huge increases, that’s a good thing, but only a small proportion has made it onto the frontline. In the last 13 years the government has created huge numbers of managers and administrators. It has become overly obsessed with its endless targets. This obsession is profoundly damaging. For example school exam results may be improving but does anyone really believe students are more intelligent or skilled. The real test is in the number of people being employed and youth unemployment is at around an astonishing 20%. That’s the only real statistic which matters in my eyes.

Conservatism is also about enterprise. Encouraging everyone to achieve their goals. Taxing people less. Helping small businesses by making it easier to employ people and cutting the ridiculous amounts of red tape that exist at the moment.

It’s time to get rid of this tired, inefficient and dishonest government. It’s time for people to take power back in to their own hands. That’s why I will be voting Conservative.

James Yardley

Alternative Election Night {TV Preview}

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It’s only a couple of days until Britain goes to the polls for the closest general election in a generation. On Thursday night, the BBC will begin an epic 20-hour broadcast from it’s huge studio set, ITV will have Alistair Stewart and Julie Etchingham surrounded by virtual reality graphics and Sky will have it’s presenters at constituencies across the country. Meanwhile, Channel Four will be taking an entirely different approach to election night.

Lauren Laverne, David Mitchell and Jimmy Carr will present a four-hour special, taking an entertaining and provocative look at the results as they come in. They’ll be joined by Charlie Brooker who’ll provide typically acerbic and hilarious comment, an array of guests including a bookmaker with the latest odds and a live studio audience. Viewers at home will also be able to join in on Twitter as night unfolds by sending tweets to @c4altelection and using the hashtag #C4altelection.

As well as the live broadcast from the studio, there’ll be pre-recorded segments using some of the channel’s most popular programmes. Throughout the night there’ll be segments from a special edition of Come Dine With Me featuring the unlikely combination of Edwina Currie, Brian Paddick, Derek Hatton and Rod Liddle. At ten o’clock, just after the exit polls come in, Charlie Brooker is joined by Robert Webb, Sharon Horgan and Peter Serafinowicz for a special edition of You Have Been Watching, looking at election coverage and the world of political television. Plus, from time to time the Fonejacker’s cast of characters will be popping up with prank calls.

The last time an alternative, satirical election broadcast was attempted, it was the utterly fantastic Election Night Armistice in 1997, where Armando Iannucci, Peter Baynham and David Schneider introduced Alan Partridge with the latest results from Norwich, a “prostitute in a helicopter” ready to land wherever the first result is declared to try to produce the first scandal of the new parliament, and a male voice choir performing popular news theme tunes. It’s hard to imagine that Channel Four’s effort will be able to come close to Iannucci’s genius, but with David Mitchell and Charlie Brooker on board, it should be definitely worth watching.

The Alternative Election Night on Thursday 6 May, 9pm on Channel Four.

Hand Drawn Map of London – Avoid the wrong part of town {Misc-uity}

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Artist Stephen Walter’s hand drawn map of London entitled ‘The Island’ “satirises the London-centric view of the English capital and its commuter towns as independent from the rest of the country.”

Go and have a look…zoom in and around. It’s as addictive as Google Street View.

Find the map here, on the British Library Site.

+44 (0)20 7743 4131

The Inept Girl's Guide to Cooking. Smoked Salmon Pasta.

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I spent quite a while wondering what I should cook for my next column. In the end I decided to go with…what was in my fridge. What was in my fridge was a mismatch of food that didn’t really go together. I decided to be both creative and brave. This is what happened.

What I found in my fridge to make Smoked Salmon pasta with Brie: Two onions, 75g of smoked salmon, 100g of brie, two good handfuls of fresh pasta and a generous amount of olive oil. About two tablespoons.

Main: Cut some onions up and fry them. I actually hate chopping onions. It really does hurt my eyes but I find chopping them underwater helps. Put on the fresh pasta and cook for two minutes ( or according to the guidelines) salt the pasta. After the pasta is done drain it and add a generous amount of olive oil. Cut up some brie and salmon. Add it to the pot with the onions. Stir it all together.

Dessert: Raspberries with cream. Super simple. Put the raspberries in the bowl, add cream. Grate some chocolate and put that on top. Tastes delicious

The verdict: Well, I surpassed myself. Smoked salmon pasta with brie. It tasted amazing. The only complaint I had was that I did not cook enough. So with new-found confidence I am preparing for my next column.

One Alfred Place. Restaurant review.

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I love food. Eating out is something I love to do when my purse let’s me. So you can imagine how amazing One Alfred Place must be to reach the very top of my list. I can honestly say that I had one of the best meals I have ever had in London.

The staff in One Alfred Place are pure class. This is no small compliment. I had quite a bad experience with the most appalling staff at the Angus Steak House in Leicester Square. The food was not even up to standard and the bill came to £57.98. The only downside is no dessert. For someone with a sweet tooth it was missed.

[ Editor’s note: One Alfred Place does do dessert. Although this was not in the set menu, it comes highly recommended.]

Eating out in London is extremely expensive. However One Alfred Place is mid-priced. My meal came to £28.12 including service. So, compliment’s to the chef. Below is what I had.

Starter: Saute baby squid, chorizo and shaved fennel salad.

Main: Grilled tuna Nicoise with pink fur potatoes, green beans, baby San Marzano tomatoes & a soft boiled egg.

After: English Breakfast tea.

One Alfred Place. 1 Alfred Place, London, WC1E 7EB

Nearest tube: Goodge Street.

One Alfred Place is a private members bar. Information here: http://www.onealfredplace.co.uk/

 

Next Weeks TV Picks

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Monday 3rd
I remember when I was growing up I would never join my friends in games of Cowboys and Indians, even if they let me have the finger guns in the playground or the string and twig bow and arrow in the woods, even if I had the coolest role in the game I never played, I have concluded that this is because of my fathers habit of watching old bad westerns from the 40’s and 50’s so in my head the image of a cowboy was John Wayne and Charles Bronson, hardly the romantic, riding off into the sunset after saving the girl and defeating the Indian horde types my friends told me about. The along came an award winning western that changed my outlook on the genre, it gave cowboys an emotional side I hadn’t seen before, played to us on a last day of term history lesson that film was Unforgiven. For some weird reason I don’t own the DVD yet so I shall be tuning into ITV1 on Monday at 20:15 to watch the movie that changed my opinion of westerns.

Tuesday 4th
There are a few films that make me cry, I’m not ashamed by this, what I am ashamed by is watching The Green Mile in the cinema and weeping while sitting next to a girl a really fancied who was dry-eyed throughout the entire flick. Is it a tale about the second coming of Jesus? Is it a look at racial injustice in 1930’s America? Is it just about a simple healer? With an excellent performance by Michael Clarke Duncan as John Coffey (‘like the drink, only spelled different’) make sure you have some tissues when you watch Sky Movies Showcase at 22:00.

Wednesday 5th
It would be remiss of me to go against the thoughts of fellow Frostian Blake Connelly and recommend anything other that Strike Back, the first two episodes of which are playing back to back on Sky1 at 21:00. Supposedly a UK action/drama to rival those made across the pond, I shall be having a gander to see if it lives up to its hype (which I believe it will), and hey, they didn’t cast Ross Kemp so it can’t be all bad!

Thursday 6th
Now I think I should be sensible and advise you all to tune in to BBC1 at 21:55 to listen to David Dimbleby on ELECTION 2010 talk to learned men and women with letters after their names or ITV1 at the same time to hear Alastair Stewart to talk all things politics in the originally named ELECTION 2010 (this time probably without the politician herding of ‘BROWN’….’CLEGG’…’THANKYOU YOU’VE SAID YOUR POINT’….’CAMERON’). Both programs will be mini-bussing up and down the country hearing from different important people and Mr and Mrs Everyman about different constituencies. I for one will not be watching either of these. I would much rather hear from four funny people talking irreverently about important matters. From 21:00 onward on Channel 4 David Mitchell, Jimmy Carr, Charlie Brooker and Lauren Laverne will be hosting Channel 4’s Alternative Election Night. The quadruplet of comedy will be taking the mick, satirising the serious and generally larking about while also bringing us on the spot election results. This promises to be much more fun than watching stuffy men in over priced studios with eye abusing graphics telling us that its probably gonna be the time of the Tory’s.

Friday 7th
I mustn’t say Glee, I mustn’t say Glee, I mustn’t say Glee, and seeing as last week I suggested The Ricky Gervais Show, this week I shall tell you about what follows Ricky. Channel 4, in their wisdom, have decided to repeat the 6th series of the brilliant Peep Show (the funnier Mitchell and Webb show). A double bill of the first two episodes will be shown at 23:05 but if that’s not your thing, you can always watch Channel 4 at 20:00 for the delightful Glee…….aw shit.

Saturday 8th

After what I was expecting to be jus another doled out rock-doc I was pleasantly surprised by last weeks I’m in a Rock’n’Roll Band about lead singers, with its truly interesting interviews with some of my heroes (I understand my bias towards rock singers being a singer and a fan of rock myself). This week’s episode on BBC2 at 21:45 focuses on the other one in the eternal fight for the spotlight in a band…the lead guitarist. Interviews with Slash, Johnny Marr and Matt Bellamy, amongst others, will be giving an insight into how they develop their almost hypnotic power over the crowd. And will be full of fantastic tunes and awesome solos, so break out the air guitars.

Sunday 9th

On Film4 at 21:00 we finish the week with the thought provoking film Crash. The story of a group of L.A residents who are completely unconnected yet through chance and coincidence make an impact on each other while showing their unwarranted mistrust and bigotry of other cultures and colours. A triple Oscar winning debut by director/co-writer Paul Haggis, I have recommend this film to nearly everyone I know and now I recommend it to you.

Catherine Balavage on the death of her Grandfather.

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In 2008 my Grandfather, Henry Anderson. Known as Harry, was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. Upon finding this out I felt two things 1) Denial. The Doctors did not know what they were talking about. 2) If true, I should spend as much time with my grandfather as possible, as he would probably die soon. There was a certain numbness to this. In knowing it was true, I could not comprehend it. It did not seem possible.

The author with her grandfather, Harry Anderson.

The author with her grandfather, Harry Anderson.

When I was younger we had a cat. The cat got old and grey. I knew it would die soon. I talked to my mother about this and I told my mother that I had decided to prepare myself for this. My mother, with all the gentleness of someone who was older and wiser, to a child who has no idea about mortality, told me this was not possible. You can never prepare yourself for death. She was right.

grandad

My Grandfather died on the 5th of December 2009. He was 83 years old. He had lived an amazing life and has a loving family. He had been a pilot in the RAF. I tried to make sure my mother was alright after she called me. Then I went to work. I had tried to see my grandfather as much as possible when he was alive. I was shortly going to go up to Scotland for Christmas, and now….

This happened on the Oxford Street Christmas shopping day. The roads were closed off and it was wall to wall people. After work I walked around in a numbness past crying. I kept saying over and over to myself WH Auden style ‘He is dead.’ and yet, it would not sink in. I would never see his face again. I felt like my heart had been ripped out and handed to me. But I could not cry. There was nothing in me.

It was a few days until I managed to make it to Scotland. I felt awful. Ached for my mother, so recently orphaned – her mother, in the last stages of renal failure, had killed herself aged 40. My mother had outlived her own mother – I held her like I had never before. I was so proud at how strong she was.

In my Grandfathers home standing in the last remnants of a life no longer lived, looking for something to remember him by, I had never been so heartbroken. I stared at his shoes, haphazard around the room. His feet would never be in them again.

When I was 5 years old. I was singing and showing off. The picture is above.  As I was singing I fell down some stairs. My grandfather rushed to save me but before he could I just got up and carried on singing. Later on, my grandfather always insisted I made him tea when I was in Scotland just so he could use the line ‘I just got a cup of tea from a movie star.’ His faith in me was blinding. He bought me a jewellery box when I was 17. ‘For my diamonds.’

At the funeral it hit me. On the way there we went past me Grandfather’s coffin. My mother’s face fell as she said quietly ‘ Oh god, that’s my dad in there. There’s my dad.’ Upon seeing all my family who I had not seen in years it got worst. My father, sandwiched in-between my mother and I , did not know who to comfort. We were both crying hysterically. He looked like a cartoon character going between us both. I had never cried so much in my life. After the funeral when I looked in the mirror, I looked like Alice Cooper.

There is a lot of myths about deaths. One of them is ‘it gets better’ It does not. My acting career has gone from strength to strength. I live an amazing life full of the most amazing people and yet I miss him every single day. It hits me when I see the biscuits he used to buy in the supermarket. When I am on set, in the quiet moments. I loved him so much and I will never see him again. At this moment I have no tips on bereavement. Time does not heal. It merely blunts the edges.

 

Dr. Who? {Ceri's Column}

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I’m all addicted and confused. My addiction is to a certain bottled narcotic called “Dr. Pepper”. My confusion is…see… what in the hell is Dr. Pepper anyway?

I’ve thought; for years and years; that it was Cherry Coke’s rival. Pepsi vs. Coke, Tango vs. Orangina, 7up vs. Sprite and of course Lilt vs…Well, Dr. Pepper vs. Cherry Coke was another carbonated beverage based rivalry. Apparently I’m wrong. Dr. Pepper is technically classed as a “pepper-flavoured” drink. (Technically = Wikipedia verified) Pepper. Um…what? Now I’m no bald-headed glasses warer from Master Chef, but I know what pepper tastes like. It tastes like fucking pepper. DOCTOR pepper tastes like a slightly sweeter cherry cola. Am I wrong?

CEO W.W. Clements once said: “I’ve always maintained you cannot tell anyone what Dr Pepper tastes like because it’s so different. It’s not an apple, it’s not an orange, it’s not a strawberry, it’s not a root beer, and it’s not even a cola. It’s a different kind of drink with a unique taste all its own.”

Nope. It’s cherry. Fuck! Plus, it was patented in 1885 by…yes you guessed it…Charles Alderton. Oh, sorry gentle reader, were you expecting someone else? A certain medical practitioner with a rather spice-racky surname? SO, WHO THE FUCK IS DOCTOR PEPPER? There is much conjecture on the matter of the name, (is it from “pepsin”, or any number of quack-physicians that carry the name Pepper etc.) and I know I should just shut up and enjoy the drink but…Why not call it something else? Please? For my sanity