Category Archives: Campaigning

UK Voted For Change

It is finished.  An exciting election which gave us some compelling theatre and drove the media speculation machine into overdrive has finally given us a new Prime Minister and a Conservative – Liberal Democrat coalition government.  The control freakery and paranoia of New Labour has been rejected.  Nick Clegg had achieved that which every Liberal, SDP and now Liberal Democrat leader during my life had desired – to have the balance of power in their hands.

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Election Day: Vote For Change

It shouldn’t come as a surprise that I’m voting Conservative in today’s general election.  A lot of VFPJ is about the failure of the Labour “government”, particularly its complicity with and failure to answer questions about its involvement with Phorm and BT.

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Labour, Phorm & RIPA: Facts & Questions

As the election campaigning continues, there are some people who need setting straight on Labour’s failures over the Phorm case.  It’s not rocket science.  It is not a matter of “intervening in private business” as some would suggest.  It is a matter of enforcing the law.

Correct me if I’m wrong but if the law is broken then action must be taken against the lawbreaker.  The status of the business or persons involved is irrelevant.  Legality isn’t an emotive issue, it is one of fact.  So here are a few facts and a few questions for Labour and its supporters.

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Who Does Your Vote Get?

It’s a genuine question.  There is much speculation about a hung Parliament and potential coalition governments.  Is tactical voting a sensible idea?

Here’s my view on the issue.

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BCA Throw In The Towel

The British Chiropractic Association has thrown in the towel and dropped its case against science writer Simon Singh.  This means that Simon has won his case after dedicating two years of his life and over £200,000 to defending his opinions.

Simon’s case has highlighted the desperate need for the reform of libel laws in the UK.  It has also highlighted the issues of claims made by some alternative health practitioners and genuine scientific discussion.

That Simon has won his case is good news.  Libel reform is needed now.  It needs to be a major overhaul to prevent libel tourism and legal bullying (this story from The Spectator about Charlie Whelan comes to mind).  As Simon says (I did try not to say that, honest!) “The case is not quite over”.

If the BCA has any honour it should now pay all of Simon’s legal costs from this case.  It was the BCA who instigated the legal battle.

Do read the Sense About Science report on the BCA climbdown.  It is well worth reading.

I raise my cup of Darjeeling to Simon for having the massive determination to fight his corner and be the catalyst for change in the UK libel laws.

Simon, you rock!