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Renewing participatory democracy Multiple Differential Uncertainty
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Week 06 Stop the War Coalition London Saturday 15 February 2003
You have given me a lot of stick, this week, for my criticism of the role of the Socialist Workers Party and the revolutionary Left, as the principal organisers of the Stop the War Coalition. I had decided - you may recall - to carry on with my long-laid plans for the first-ever Fabian Conference in North Wales on Saturday 15 February - and that meant missing the London March. Last September,I marched with gusto although (I freely admit) distinctly discomforted by the aggression and disruptive conduct of the revolutionary Left. And I came to the conclusion that I had been wrong. The cause is of far greater importance than my personal distaste for the extreme Left. So I cancelled the Fabian Conference, deferred to 17 May. I shall be marching in London, again.
172 Heroes... Network De-Railed I have been advising the Government for a long, long time (see January 2002) to do a Beeching on the rail network. We must act decisively, to bring our love affair with rail to an end.
Good Sense from Sterling The Local Government Chronicle
is regular reading for me. And it is tragic to sense the despair and
demoralisation of both Councillors and officers, throughout the UK.
Scotland and Wales are no exception. In confronting the Government's
new absurd Americanism (Business Improvement
Districts, for our city centres) the hapless Labour LGA Leader
Sir Jeremy Beecham said pessimistically - And in the same edition the energetic Chief Executive of Sterling Council Keith Yates bemoaned the emasculation of city government, throughout
the UK - read his attack. Green Belt Re-visited This week, John Prescott is due to unveil plans to
address the disastrous shortage of new housing in the South West.
After six years of shilly-shallying, Labour cannot postpone for much longer
the moment of decision (see May 2002...)
He must draw himself up to his full socialist height and confront the
self-serving middle-class shibboleth known as the
Green Belt... Other recent topics And read my own Big Theory itself, at
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An
end
to Old
America I am an optimist. I believe that the "Iraq Incident" will, whatever happens, mark the death-throes of Old America. Rowan's not wrong...
So the new Archbishop showed himself a little lacking in worldly wisdom, in his first attempt to redress the balance of his perceived "bearded Leftie" image. Next time, he must try harder to get the emphasis right.
Wise
Identity Cards wrong time to legislate Cabinet momentum is building, for the introduction of ID cards. But the project is misconceived. There is no evidence that the continental countries, with their long-standing and oppressive ID-card systems, are faring any better than we are in the "fight against terrorism" or the management of migration. Labour should have the wisdom to hold its hand. says NO to ID cards see SoCLA Let Judges decide I am dismayed by the current euthanasia debate, triggered by the enabled suicide in Switzerland of Howard Crew. Why should this issue not be decided by a Judge?Jurisdiction could be given to a High Court judge to visit and interview each person requesting the "right to die". The High Court already has to intervene in disputed matters of patient consent, and this would be an entirely sensible new jurisdiction. Blair & I agree, It is important for me to define the point at which I part company with the Blair Project. In his general defence of his domestic strategy, enunciated last week, I agreed with him - I cannot fault Blair's broad, high-level principles.
Special Footnote I love the online newspapers, which are my access to the world - share them with me - click through to their Homepages from here - back to top Diary 2002 Now up to date! I have re-structured my Diary to give you a day-to-day means of looking back, throughout the year just click throughFollow my August 2002 Russian Tour Diary, now unfolding in splendid technicolor - capacity problems have so far limited the scale of how much I can E-publish, but there is still plenty to read - St Petersburg Novgorod Moscow Tallinn (2) |
 Footnote to history, and to my
fascination with stamps - I found these stamps, on a New Year clear-out of
an old cupboard, strangely moving.. |
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New
172
is a number to conjure with. For my part, I was not at all disappointed by the
outcome of the chaotic Parliamentary debate, this week, on Lords Reform.
Faced with the "official seven Options", Speaker Martin accepted a
last-minute Amendment calling for the outright
abolition of the Lords. And then - fantastic! - no fewer than 172 MPs voted in
favour of Option 8 - namely
total abolition of our Second Chamber, our peculiarly English
pantomime called
"The Lords". Check out whether
your own MP is on this 
Socialists must re-learn the limits of
State power. And we must propose a new international
socialist order - nothing less will do.
...but
the new Archbishop of Canterbury has not been very constructive either.
If it were practicable, many refugee groups would, like him, favour an initial period of "induction", during
which newcomers could be "shown the ropes" of UK life. And that
would give the Authorities an opportunity to check out security risks. But with reception rates running at 250 per day, it is clearly not
practicable - as Labour firmly observed, when in Opposition. And the
practicalities matter. 
Policy
is still evolving, in the difficult civil rights sector of sperm donation
and its consequences. Although a wide range of genetic data will be made
available to sperm-donor children, Alan
Milburn continues to consult on the release of full details of personal
identity. This debate is moving in the right direction.