That’s the title of my latest newspaper column – and I think you can guess the answer! As I wrote:
The media obsess about the long ‘holidays’ that MPs have – but of course – recess doesn’t equal holiday. I don’t know about all MPs – but certainly all the ones I asked had pretty intense programs.
So – what do MPs actually get up to in the summer then? You’ll have to read my piece to find out!
There’s a good piece in today’s Times about whether or not YouTube should be closed.
I’ve always been slightly sceptical of (now) Democrat Presidential candidate Barack Obama since his speech at the 2004 Democratic Convention. It was delivered brilliantly – and there’s no doubt his style and content wowed many, many people – but to me – a non-American – there was something very insular, even insulting, in his claim that – after recounting how he came from a poor immigrant family that came together from across the world – “that in no other country on Earth is my story even possible”. Nonsense – there are examples of similar moving, amazing stories from many, many other countries.
So it did worry me a bit how – if he ended up US President – he would really look at the rest of the world. Now I’m worried even more – because he’s arguing the case for unilateral military action – in this case saying the possibility of bombing Pakistan without any discussion with Pakistan, the UN or anyone else would be OK.
Sounds like he’s getting very close to a George W Bush Mark 2 foreign policy!
Lynne Featherstone MP has made an urgent direct appeal to Sir Ian Blair, Commissioner for the London Metropolitan Police, calling for a review of its policy to bar Haringey Park Constabulary from its radio network.
Following the recent national upgrade of the police radio network, officers from the local park constabulary have found themselves unable to call for back up or co-ordinate spontaneous operations with the Met Police becausethey do not have access to the police radio network.
It is understood that Haringey Parks Constabulary invested months ago in the new equipment, but it has laid unused because of the Met’s intransigence on the issue.
Commenting Lynne Featherstone says:
“There is no rhyme or reason to this situation. We have officers in our parks protecting the public who have been trying for months on end to get connected to the Met radio system, which will make them and the public safer.
“Obviously you wouldn’t want any Tom, Dick or Harry accessing a police radio network, but we’re talking about trained and warranted police officers employed to keep our parks safe.
“The old radio system they are using is so antiquated and not properly monitored that a Park Officer in trouble would be just as well to dial 999 in emergency, which is plain ridiculous.”
A ‘Two Hour Notice’ was served last week on Telewest for its abandoned junction box on Fairfield Gardens following complaints from residents and action championed by local Liberal Democrat councillor Lyn Weber.
The order requires immediate action from Telewest to fix the missing door or repair will be carried out by Haringey Council and billed to the company.
Councillor Lyn Weber comments:
“This is their kit but it is on our streets. Residents take a great deal of pride in their environment and so should the utility companies.”
Councillor Winskill (Crouch End) added:
“Keeping on top of this sort of problem avoids neglected street syndrome; broken boxes attract litter which can attract other forms of anti-social behaviour.”
Councillor Wayne Hoban, Liberal Democrat member for Alexandra ward, has slammed Haringey Council over its failure to repair a large hole that has appeared in the middle of a busy road in Alexandra ward.
Cllr Hoban contacted the council on 25th July having observed that a large hole in the middle of Albert Road, opposite Albert Road Recreation Ground in Alexandra ward, had gone unrepaired for almost a week. However, Haringey Council has failed to acknowledge or respond to his request for urgent action.
Cllr Hoban comments:
“Albert Road is a major transport route through Alexandra ward and is heavily used by buses and heavy goods vehicles, not to mention local residents. The hole in the road is causing a major obstruction, particularly when the very popular adjacent recreation ground, which recently won a Green Flag Award, is being heavily used by local residents.”
He further states: “I am very unhappy with the fact that not only has Haringey Council failed to respond to my request, but also the fact that it has allowed a large hole on a major transport route to go unrepaired for so long. This is completely unacceptable and I have contacted Haringey Council to demand that immediate action is taken to repair it, or a serious accident could occur.”
Highgate councillor Neil Williams has slammed Haringey council for dragging its feet over a dangerous wall in Summersby Road, Highgate. The Liberal Democrat Leader has demanded immediate action to make repairs to the wall – which Homes for Haringey has admitted is dangerous and “could come down at any time”.
Cllr Williams wants the work to start urgently, as children from Summersby Road regularly play next to the dangerous wall, behind which is always piled large amounts of building materials in the builder’s yard next door.
Local residents have been expressing their fears about the wall’s safety to Haringey Council and Homes for Haringey since January. Haringey Council now says that it has tried to make repairs, but was unable to do so because this needs the cooperation of the next door builder’s yard. Cllr Williams says there have been months to sort the problem out – yet the Council hasn’t even bothered to install signs saying the wall is in need of repair and could be dangerous.
Local residents, including the Chair of the Summersby Road residents’ association, Sarah Mitchell, have been pressing Haringey Council to make repairs.
“The situation is very worrying,” says Sarah Mitchell.”Haringey Council and Homes for Haringey have been passing the issue back and forth. The wall is very dangerous, and is visibly failing.If action is not taken, someone could be injured or killed.”
Local Lib Dem councillor Neil Williams adds:
“Haringey Council, along with Homes for Haringey, has dragged its feet endlessly over this situation. Not for the first time, action was promised at a meeting of the residents’ association I attended in June, but nothing has yet been done. It is extremely worrying that on a matter of basic safety, effective action is not taken. It is an appalling example of buck passing where public safety is at stake.”
I’ve been following the media coverage about the call from the Professional Association of Teachers for sites like YouTube to be closed – because they say they encourage bullying and harassment of teachers.
Both of these are extremely serious issues – but the idea that closing YouTube is the answer causes me two concerns: (a) is it really a solution? and (b) is a complete closing of YouTube an over-the-top reaction (even to horrific individual cases)?
The risk with media coverage of course often is that the details aren’t got quite right – so I went to see what the teachers themselves had said. I have to say – in all honesty – their arguments didn’t persuade me.
The Observer had a good round up story last weekend – but in it one teacher complained that they couldn’t complain against an inappropriate film because they weren’t a member of YouTube. Well – it’s only a matter of a few minutes to become a member and you don’t need to pay anything. Wouldn’t it be better if teachers were members of YouTube and made proper use of its channels for reporting things rather than say, “I’m not a member, so I can’t do anything proper, so the whole site must be closed”? I know this might sound very critical – but if you’re going to ask for the closure of one of the biggest websites (and one that is used for all sorts of funny, entertaining, educational and wonderful purposes – along with all the dodgy stuff) I think you need to really work at using the alternative avenues first.
The union’s website also has the full text of some speeches made in the debate. There were some horrible examples given of abuse – and my heart goes out to those on the receiving end of it – but again there wasn’t any real case made that closing YouTube would really solve the problem or is an appropriate solution. No real case as to how YouTube was failing in its current policies or how they could be improved for the future. And no real case that the existence of YouTube was making the problem worse.
So – if you’re a teacher and agree with what the union said, you’d better get in touch to persuade me to change my mind!
UPDATE: I’ve got an online poll here.
Well – it looks from this morning’s papers (Mail and Times) that Brian Paddick is a serious runner to be our (Lib Dem) Mayor candidate. Good thing I’ve said nice things about him on this blog!
One of the issues I’m pondering over the summer is what to make of Prime Minister’s Question Time. To me – yes, it’s great theatre and even fun at time but – it’s utterly crap as a way of holding the Prime Minister or Government to account – and I doubt the baying mob moment where everyone (except polite Lib Dems of course!) is cheering or booing does much for the reputation of politics.
After all – what would you think of someone who behaved in a work meeting the way the boorish heckling backbenchers do at PMQs? So – you may have guessed I’m not impressed!
Still though I’d be interested to hear other people’s views – what do you make of PMQs? Is it any good? Does it damage politics etc? Let me know what you think!
(Update: my fellow MP John Hemming has expressed his views on PMQs over at his blog).
Lynne Featherstone 