Feb 18 -Northern Rock's nationalisation was the big event of the week. Of course, it's far too complex an issue for anyone not working in the 'sqaure mile' so I'm not going into the rights and wrongs. It is only a "temporary" situation be back in the private sector in no more than 20 or 30 years. The only other comment I have is William Hill have confirmed the odds on Alastair Darling losing the Chancellorship before end 2008 have been slashed to 7/4.
MPs returned from their half-term recess to put questions to the brand new and shiny, Work and Pensions Secretary, James Purnell. His tenure at Culture Media and Sport was only a matter of weeks and his shift (slightly up) was thanks to Peter Hain's poor accounting skills. Purnell handles his brief with consummate ease, almost languidly. Our East-Anglian interest was upheld by the almost ever-present Henry Bellingham (NW Norfolk) (pictured) who asked a bit of 'socialist' question about the plight of pensioners. Ever higher Council tax (and now hugely inflated fuel bills) are having a desperate impact on the half a million pensioners living on less than £10,000 a year opined our Henry. Mike O'Brien's "we take no lectures" response was cerainly inadequate. It was like pointing to a starving man and saying "if it were down to you, he'd probably have TB as well".
Simon 'Humbug' Burns (West Chelmsford) asked the Defence Secretary and the PM how much their offices spent on Christmas cards. Presumably his point was profligacy with public money although sending 'season's greetings' is not quite the same as a junket to Jamaica or 'grace and favour' houses. The answers provided were (a mere) £700 and £1,379. Parliamentary Questions cost up to £600 to answer - if anyone is wasting public money, it is Mr Burns for tabling such daft questions.
Henry Bellingham (again) asked Des Browne how many homes the MOD had sitting empty. The answer of 12,240 is an extra-ordinarily high figure and only adds to the scandal of the severe lack of investment in housing for the Armed Services in recent years. The Commons Defence Select Committee's last report described much of the accommodation as "appalling" and Gen Sir Michael Jackson called the situation "frankly shaming". The MOD spokesperson treated the issue of living conditions of thousands of families, with a combination of arrogance and disdain, saying it was "like painting the Forth bridge". In other words, in the face of such a huge task we should just hold up our hands in despair.
MPs returned from their half-term recess to put questions to the brand new and shiny, Work and Pensions Secretary, James Purnell. His tenure at Culture Media and Sport was only a matter of weeks and his shift (slightly up) was thanks to Peter Hain's poor accounting skills. Purnell handles his brief with consummate ease, almost languidly. Our East-Anglian interest was upheld by the almost ever-present Henry Bellingham (NW Norfolk) (pictured) who asked a bit of 'socialist' question about the plight of pensioners. Ever higher Council tax (and now hugely inflated fuel bills) are having a desperate impact on the half a million pensioners living on less than £10,000 a year opined our Henry. Mike O'Brien's "we take no lectures" response was cerainly inadequate. It was like pointing to a starving man and saying "if it were down to you, he'd probably have TB as well".
Simon 'Humbug' Burns (West Chelmsford) asked the Defence Secretary and the PM how much their offices spent on Christmas cards. Presumably his point was profligacy with public money although sending 'season's greetings' is not quite the same as a junket to Jamaica or 'grace and favour' houses. The answers provided were (a mere) £700 and £1,379. Parliamentary Questions cost up to £600 to answer - if anyone is wasting public money, it is Mr Burns for tabling such daft questions.
Henry Bellingham (again) asked Des Browne how many homes the MOD had sitting empty. The answer of 12,240 is an extra-ordinarily high figure and only adds to the scandal of the severe lack of investment in housing for the Armed Services in recent years. The Commons Defence Select Committee's last report described much of the accommodation as "appalling" and Gen Sir Michael Jackson called the situation "frankly shaming". The MOD spokesperson treated the issue of living conditions of thousands of families, with a combination of arrogance and disdain, saying it was "like painting the Forth bridge". In other words, in the face of such a huge task we should just hold up our hands in despair.
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