Time to head off for some R & R

Posted by on Jul 21, 2006 in updates | 8 comments Greetings from North Norfolk I’m packing my bags and heading off to North Norfolk for a long week of R & R. Burnham Market, dubbed Chelsea-on-Sea, will be positively heaving tonight for its jazz festival with international stars Ian Shaw and Claire Martin. I’m thrilled to be seeing Ian again, I saw him perform in Cambridge a year ago and he is fabulous, I have one of his cds, so...
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It may seem trivial, but ….

Posted by on Jul 20, 2006 in updates | 5 comments What’s the most you’ve ever been charged for A4 photocopying? Does £11.45 seem pretty steep to you? And I know local councillors are busy bees, often juggling different roles, but how many laptops do they need to exercise their civic duties efficiently? Up to three, it seems in Norfolk, and all at the taxpayers’ expense. I didn’t realise that elected members who serve on...
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It helps that she’s blonde and pretty

Posted by on Jul 20, 2006 in updates | 5 comments Bloggers worldwide have united behind La Petite Anglaise It helps that she’s blonde and pretty, female too. But I do wonder if Catherine Sanderson‘s unjust demise would have attracted the same worldwide interest had she been male. In fact, I doubt very much that any man would have been sacked for writing a personal blog and I wish her well with her test case for unfair dismissal in...
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Home Office can’t keep track of criminals either

Posted by on Jul 20, 2006 in updates | 3 comments It’s not just asylum seekers the Home Office can’t keep track of, it also does not know many criminals have slipped through the net after cuting off their electronic tags. The Home Office has shame-facedly admitted that figures recording this crucial statistic are not kept, they have never been requested by the firms which operate the scheme, it was not a requirement of their...
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Who was the mystery Buck House streaker?

Posted by on Jul 20, 2006 in updates | 2 comments This year’s Wimbledon streaker Who was the mystery man that bared all and did a streak at the Queen’s garden party last Tuesday? It seems he was the 18-year-old son of one of the guests and was quickly ushed away by the Yeomen. This was told to my by a friend who went to another garden party at Buck House this week. And she was told by one of the Yeomen, so it came from a very...
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No greater honour

Posted by on Jul 20, 2006 in updates | 1 comment There is no greater honour than having your work appreciated by your peers. So thanks again to Iain for my second plug on his Channel 4 podcast. My post about Prezza was read out in full on air, which was quite a thrill. And PR lecturer Richard Bailey has been musing about PR women bloggers and included me among those he regards as “thoughtful, incisive, creative, funny and colourful...
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The rapid ascent of Tory women

Posted by on Jul 19, 2006 in updates | 5 comments And if we need further proof that Tory women are on the up, Michael Brown waxes lyrical about their rapid ascent in today’s Indy, pointed out to me by the vibrant Anne Jenkin, who says it is spot on. Brown prophetically describes how women are making the difference for Tories. I just hope they don’t get labelled Dave’s Babes. He says: In 1997, Tony Blair’s New Labour...
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Tory convert Sue and Women2Win

Posted by on Jul 19, 2006 in updates | 2 comments Looking good, Women2Win A random email to Sue Joyson opened up a whole new world for her of savvy women determined to succeed in politics; they are Tory women, Women2Win. In the past she voted Lib Dem and Labour and she is a union member, but she was welcomed with open arms by Tory women and told she was exactly the kind of person they wanted on board. Sue now feels passionately about the future...
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My friend Anthony is alive and well

Posted by on Jul 19, 2006 in updates | 1 comment One of Anthonys stunning paintings My friend Anthony is alive and well, despite Cheffins auctioneers always refering to him in their brochure as a 20th century artist! He called round yesterday for a lift home and I assure you he is no fossil. Some of his paintings are coming under the auctioneer’s hammer in Cambridge tomorrow and their prices could soar as he now has a royal patron...
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The Miliband blog is struggling

Posted by on Jul 18, 2006 in updates | 8 comments Has the Miliband blog lost its way? If you were a Minister blogging about some of the most important topics of the day, surely people would want to comment. David Miliband was hailed a hero, a blue-eyed man of the moment who was going to engage openly with the public when he started four months ago, though it always was very much a one way conversation. The novelty has now worn off, or rather...
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Could Gordon govern this summer?

Posted by on Jul 17, 2006 in updates | 8 comments Can Gordon be a leader designate this summer? How can an incompetent sleaze ball like John Prescott be allowed to run the country this summer while Tony Blair enjoys his family break? I shudder at the thought. OK, so we know he won’t be playing croquet at Chequers, but nobody has confidence in him and these are not ordinary times are are living in; these are extraordinary times of...
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Blogging is bad for a girl’s complexion

Posted by on Jul 14, 2006 in updates | 9 comments My Wicken walkers One of the lovely sights in Wicken I’m going to put my walking boots on shortly and feel the fresh air on my face. Blogging is bad for a girl’s complexion, and all that sitting in front of a screen doesn’t help to preserve a shapely posterior either. So I am shortly heading off for an invigorating weekend of country walks, fresh air and sunshine, maybe some...
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My impulse buy

Posted by on Jul 14, 2006 in updates | 6 comments I popped into PC World with my birthday money yesterday looking for a flatscreen monitor to replace my jumbo desktop Dell dinosaur which stretches from the front of my desk to the wall and came away with this little dream machine. Not being a tekkie, I assumed I would just plug it in and the TV would work automatically too. But it is fabulous and great not to have to screw up my eyes to read the...
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I could have been the England Manager

Posted by on Jul 13, 2006 in updates | 3 comments According to Cambridge boffins, a football manager’s career is based on luck rather than ability. Rsearchers at Cambridge University have been examining data on the careers of football managers in England, Switzerland, France, Spain, Germany and Japan – covering a total of 7,183 people over 130 years. It concluded that a manager’s tenure is intrinsically linked to his team, and...
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Are G8 promises just hollow words?

Posted by on Jul 13, 2006 in updates | 1 comment G8 2006 Who gave G8 a second thought after the sesnational agreement reached in Gleneagles last year, approving £28.8 billion aid and wiping out debt in the world’s 18 poorest countries? It also agreed to forge fairer trade deals and increase access to Aids treatment. At the time it seemed like they were waving a magic want. But was it too good to be true, were they just empty promises?...
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Conservative MPs join demo on shareholders’ rights

Posted by on Jul 12, 2006 in updates | 6 comments MPs Jonathan Djanogly and Justine Greening on a demo with Alan Duncan Shares are not just for elite, they are also attractive staff perks and tempting freebies for loyal building society customers. Now it is intended to give small shareholders a fairer deal and more rights. Flying the flag for shareholder democracy were Shadow Tade Secretary Alan Duncan and MPs Jonathan Djanogly and Justine...
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Sad news to report

Posted by on Jul 12, 2006 in updates | 3 comments One of Headway’s members brushes up on his artistic skills One of the tragic spin-offs caused by my local debt ridden Primary Care Trusts is the dreadful news that a vital centre which cares for brain injured adults is being forced to quit as they plan to sell the site. I am a trustee of this excellent group, Headway Cambridgeshire, and we are now desperately searching for new...
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Now let’s see compassion for neglected animals

Posted by on Jul 11, 2006 in updates | 5 comments Suzy, with the gorgeous Lulu Please report cases like this The compassionate line continues today – but with a focus on animals, particularly those which are neglected and treated cruelly, not just in the UK, but worldwide. Spearheading this project is passionate animal lover Suzy Gale, wife of MP Roger Gale, who sits on the All Party Animal Welfare Group and launched the Conservative...
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Can you love a hoodie?

Posted by on Jul 10, 2006 in updates | 9 comments A sinister looking hoodie, courtesey of Ian Clowes First of all, exactly what is a hoodie? This definition by Oxford University Press says they are worn by everyone from Paris Hilton to Naomi Campbell. Why I even have one. But now they have come to represent much more, a dark side of yob culture as portrayed in Kidulthood. I asked teen coach Marie Munro what what she thought about David...
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Is Labourhome still asleep?

Posted by on Jul 9, 2006 in updates | 16 comments Labourhome having a Sunday morning lie in It’s 10.30am on a Sunday morning. It’s been another terrible day for Labour with newspaper headlines naming David Miliband as Prezza’s heir apparent (their best idea for a long time). The “media assissantion” has not abated. This has all been highlighted on ConservativeHome , where Tim is assiduously checking out other sites...
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Let me introduce you to Janice Small

Posted by on Jul 8, 2006 in updates | 6 comments Janice is hoping for a Kent seat I have given Janice a guest spot on my blog today. We met during last year’s general election campaign when she was also a regional press officer. Now she is hoping to contest a seat as a Conservative candidate in the next election. She was always very energetic and highly motivated and would make a great MP. Here is her story: Well, I made it onto the...
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Facing my demons

Posted by on Jul 7, 2006 in updates | 5 comments Three years ago I was invited to talk about my work at a businesswomen’s lunch. I remember preparing my speech in advance, but when the time time, I froze on the spot and was gripped with fear, I was truly awful. Since then I have taken steps to overcome this, and am succeeding. I have always yearned to return to the venue where I performed so badly and make a brilliant delivery, to show...
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My failure at maths

Posted by on Jul 7, 2006 in updates | 3 comments I don’t have a mathematical brain and, thanks to calculators, can get on buy without this skill. However, I wonder if today’s method of teaching would have made any difference. My 13-year-old son James has today gone to Pleasurwood Hills Theme Park, Lowestoft for a “Maths In Action Day”. The aim is to complete a mathematical project based on one of the rides at the park,...
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Ten reasons why I love Iain’s blog

Posted by on Jul 6, 2006 in updates | 11 comments Iain has them all fired up. Dubbed “The Dot Cotton of Political Gossip”, he voices the views of many people who lack his punchy flair and wicked news sense. He says it as it is, adds some wit and sarcasm – and the rest is down to the reader. If you like it, you post a comment and pay a return visit, if not, then it’s goodbye and no hard feelings. If you are a hungry hack,...
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Hospital spends £250,000 for advice on sacking staff

Posted by on Jul 6, 2006 in updates | 2 comments Parliamentary correspondent Bill Jacobs reckons Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt could be in line for the sack. He says many at Westminster were stunned when she kept her job in the last Cabinet reshuffle. And as the NHS lurches from crisis to crisis, they will be amazed if she keeps it much longer. Angry NHS staff at Addenbrooke’s hospital have already threatened to strike to save services...
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