Ken Clarke: A breath of fresh air

Justice Secretary Ken Clarke is like a breath of fresh air with is plan to radically reforms prison to "shut the revolving door of crime and reoffending". Prison does not work as far as rehabilitation is concerned. If you make a prison harder all that happens is that you get harder criminals at the end of the process. Sure some will change but the evidence is that the vast majority of prisoners re-offend and are in effect 'Colleges of crime'.

I started to write this post then found this post by Iain Dale Ken Clarke Is Right: Prison Doesn't Always Work. It's almost word for word what I was going to write therefore I would encourage you to read it.

I would also add that many people in prison have learning difficulties and are not well educated. This would be a good place to start because some criminals are not part of our society and only see one way out. Crime.

Fundamental change required for English football

English football as I see it has been declining for years. Of course this type of crisis does happen in other English sports to a minor extent in Rugby and Cricket and to a greater extend in British Tennis.

What we lack is strength in depth and I believe we need a fundamental change to English football. I also think that all the UK nations have been suffering from a lack of good quality young players.

The problems

1. England has approximately 2700 UEFA certified coaches. Germany has 35000, Italy 29500, Spain 24000 etc see here.

2. The FA have put the England youth training centre on hold to pay for Wembley, demonstrating where their priorities lay.

3. The players looked tired. Maybe their are too many games in Premiership as well as, league cup, FA cup, Champions league, International friendlies/qualifiers, I got the feeling that a lot of our England players were not dreaming of lifting the world cup…but dreaming of golden sands and jet ski’s….we do play more than most or possibly all other nations.

4. Any flair is sucked out of players by the age of 21, Does something go wrong at the coaching level.

5. Fabio Capello's English has improved but he does not have a full command of English can he really get across complex tactics to the players.

6. The FA never seem very professional to me and often make the wrong decision. It doesn't have as much control over the premier league and appears to lack influence with FIFA.

7. Fifa president Sepp Blatter insistence on refusing to use replay technology is a backwards step. Why would you be happy to see incorrect decisions affect the results of big games? I am pleased to see that he has now apologised for this and has reopen the file on goal-line technology.

8. Fabio Capello said he would not take injured or out of form players to the world cup. He did both.

9. Of course Fabio Capello in the end didn't have much choice because of the lack of depth to the number of English Players. This is because of the number of mediocre foreign players in the premiership stops promising English youngsters from getting through. Some premiership clubs seem to have a bad habit of preferring second rate foreign players like rather than giving English talent a chance. This does not only effect England but Effects Wales, northern Ireland and Scotland as in the past most of these players also played in the English League.

10. Why do English players cost so much. Is this why they do not play aboard. The number of foreign players he would not be a problem if some of our players played in Europe. This would stop the English team only having experience of English football.

11. The truly world class foreign players in top sides make our “stars” look better than they actually are, falsely making us believe they can shine in world cups: i.e. Rooney

12. Totally incapable of playing the fast attacking football you see at club level, and which other nations play, probably for reasons above

13. Always resort to long-ball 4-4-2 which even the weaker teams now can close down.

14. We always blame the coach. Yes the coaches for England so make mistakes u sacking them only hides the fundamental problems with the English game.

15. Why are there so many foreign players at youth level at the academies of the biggest sides in England. Why is it most of our major players are produced by the West Ham academy.

16. If we cant get young home grown players into the English game how are we supposed to get British Asian players in. Theres a whole pool of tallent that needs to be brought into the game here. But asians are held back by there not being enough spaces for English/British players. Are we missing a trick here too.



Changes required

1. Lets have more UEFA professional coaches rather than the FA trained coaches, This is where the FA and the premiership should step in. How can there be so much money in the game without more funding to these areas

2. Lets have a football academy, FA have its priorities wrong its time they changed. There should be a structure to this and there should be more than one.

3. The FA should have a system of youth academies with links to the rest of Europe so other countries can also see English players.

4. Premiership teams should have to play at least two English players or three British players forcing teams like Arsenal to have to have a reasonable amount of British players.

5.The FA should be geared towards the English team and should not base decisions on finance but on what is best for the game.

6.Lets not sack Fabio Capello. I think he has learnt alot. We need to English change football and it won't help having to hunt around for another coach. It takes time to become a coach of any team.

7. Why not have a English coaching academy too. They could learn the game and start at the bottom clubs but also be involved with under 19 teams for example. They could be part funned by the FA offering good coaches to the lower sides therefore creating demand for them.

8. The state of English football should be regularly examined and changes made accordingly.

9 The structure of the FA should be accessed and improvements made.

10. The managers in the English league should have to attend a regular meeting to discuss what they are contributing to help produced new British players.

11. Lets not concern ourselves with the short term goal of qualifying lets concerntrate on rebuilding a new team with young players.

12. A break in the season.

13.Perhaps Premiership clubs should not play in the league cup. Games need to be cut down some how although personally I wouldn't reduce the number of clubs because I don't want to reduce the number of British players playing in the Premiership.

I don't believe the FA should scapegoat the manager as this happens everytime with every manager only England get worse and worse. We need more players, we need more coaching and we need the FA to change to help produce a better English game this needs to be their top priority. We also don't need to concentrate on qualify for tournaments in the short term but instead concentrate on building a new team. To build for the future because the FA and English football should be working on long term goals. Lets start again.

Todays link is to MarkReckons blog FIFA need to bring in goal-line technology

Local Blog Newsweek: 12 Bracknell area politics

Here is a selection of issues making headlines during the past week:


New MP pledges to make country great again

Mobile phone masts to be approved despite objections

Cuts to council jobs and services

MP's speech on science and being 'Great'

If you know of any other local political stories then please add them in the comments below.

This weeks bonus is World Cup coaches dress for success on CTV News

Low polling for Liberal Democrats

Sundays polls did not look good for the Liberal Democrats with polling results of around 16 to 17%. Not a surprise to me. I personally consider the Liberal Democrat core vote to be just below this level. This current polling puts the Lib Dems at about the same places as they where in before this years general election.

Labour are trying their best to get the Liberal Democrats to split from the coalition by attacking them and exploiting any cracks.

It feels like people don't want the 3rd party to ever have any power. The 3rd party are some how wrong to want to be in government and even worse their helping the Tories (you know the party most people voted for). How dare the Lib Dems not join with Labour.

Heard many people claim this is the end of the Lib Dems. Well no. we are just back to where we started. If however the Lib Dems did split at this moment and forced a general election then it could well be the end. This is because policies we stood for have not yet come to pass. It is because it could be claimed that Lib Dems can't handle power, can't handle real government and cut handle cuts. Lib Dems would become even less popular and attacks while so weak could reck the party.

The Liberal Democrats really have to make the coalition work. I believe this country needs a strong three party system not a two party system with less views. I personally would not want to be part of another party.

So I think that the Liberal Democrats are actually more likely to stay together because MP's would be scared of losing their seats.

Sorry to all those coalition haters but I'm sure the more pressure you put on the Liberal Democrats the more they will be in it too the bitter end.

Todays link is too Pajamas Media which has an interesting article on American Restoration: What It Will Take.

Ideologically It''s not just the Tories who are a 'bad fit'‏

In this article for the BBC 'Coalition a poor ideological fit, says Lib Dem MP'. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/politics/10395602.stm Tim Farron MP, who recently ran for Lib Dem deputy leader said that the coalition is "ideologically a poor fit". Well it is not a perfect fit, natually but I nor is the Labour party.

However I would like to correct Tim Farron on an issue. Lib dems did campaign or at least Vince Cable did on freezing public sector pay see here. Personally I don't agree with big government. Big government equals waste and inefficiency, high taxes and lots of Red tape and is the way to run a country. It ca also lead to the government having too much power as it becomes involved in more of our lives. There is a happy medium between big and small government where good services are provided efficiently which the right amount of necessary admin.

But I did like Mr Farron and Mr Hughes idea that the Lib dems should have "shadow" ministers for Whitehall departments where only the Conservatives are represented in cabinet. Now that I think would provide suitable party lines arguments and scrutiny.

Todays link is to Stephen's Liberal Journal 'Simon Fires First Warning Shot 'Cross Coalition Bows'

Tax relief for video games industry scrapped

Being a big supporter of the British games industry I was disappointed to see the planned tax relief for the video games industry being scrapped.

I think this will cost jobs in what is a successful but decreasing industry in the UK due to the increased global competition and support by governments in other countries such as Canada.
 
Full detail can be read at Gamespot UK here

VAT bombed in the bottom‏

The much hyped emergency budget is now over, Thank god we all now know what the pain is going to be.

For the Lib Dems it's going to be harder take because of the increase in the VAT rate. I understand that in a coalition you don't get everything you want or campaign for like the VAT rise. Yes the Lib Dems have many of their policies in this budget, such as a link to earnings for the pension and a move towards the 10k tax allowance, a bank Levy and spending on capital projects etc. The big issue for me was the VAT rise. It's not so much the rise itself (yes I know its regressive), it's what we campaigned on.

It's fact that we campaigned with this stupid VAT bombshell poster. Why did we do it, why did we have to bring back the VAT bombshell. There was no need. Everyone in politics knew that whoever got in (yes Labour that includes you) would of raised VAT rate. the Lib Dems knew that there was almost certainly going to be a coalition. For me I thought the VAT bomb poster was our worst move of the general election campaign. It has now come back to bite us in the bottom.

Update: Looks like the Tories did it too:

Todays link is to Oranjepan Not Yet Out of The Woods who has been a bit quite of late but appears to be back up and running. Welcome back Oranjepan,

OH NO! Chris Huhne has a Bisexual Lover and she wears Doc Martens!

How is this news, the Daily Mail has the headline Chris Huhne's bisexual lover: Life and very different loves of the PR girl in Doc Martens

What! Ok so a politician has had an affair. Big deal. I couldn't care if a politician or a celebrity has had an affair. It's not really my business but only the busniess of those involved. But what are the Daily Mail doing. This article is full of examples of gay marriages and a anti gay or bisexual slant.

Why do they bother to highlight that Carina Trimingham has 'boyish cropped, spiky haircut and love of Dr Marten boots and jeans' What they hell is their problem!

Oh no look she is a 'female friend at the civil partnership ceremony of Brian Paddick'.

Give me a break this is not reporting on an affair but has an anti gay slant to make the Liberal Democrats appear to be some sort of sex mad and oh no bisexual crazed party. Well I have news for you, The Lib dems like all other political partys have people who are Bisexual and Gay and believe it or not straight. So what!

Personally I'm fed up with Daily Mail agendas

Obama worse than Bush?‏

A guest Blog from Kevin Carter

I’m not often drawn to comment on articles, but I thoroughly agree with the article on Politico by Josh Gerstein, ACLU chief 'disgusted' with Obama . After 18 months it feels like all we've had are the implied approval of Bush's war-mongering and cutting of civil liberties by not reversing those policies when Obama had the opportunity.

For example, we’ve had further expansion of activity in Afghanistan. We’ve also had no reversal of Bush's relaxation of environmental regulations on - for example - the energy industry, which helped contribute to the situation in the Gulf of Mexico with BP, who the Obama administration insist on calling British Petroleum even though the name changed in 1999 and the company is 39% US owned to 40% UK owned.

Another example is the approval of a private health insurance scheme that will do little to help the neediest in American society and merely pour yet more money into the immoral coffers of private insurance companies.

Indeed, given that Bush promised little and delivered little where as Obama promised 'change' and has delivered more of the same, there's a very good argument to make that Obama is worse than Bush. Maybe not in absolute terms, although a continuation of Bush’s policies provides plenty of argument that he’s no better either. But, taking into account our expectations, for sure we can make that case. After all, what is less forgivable: a man who refuses a friend a favour, or a man who promises a friend a favour and then doesn't follow through?

Given my liberal leanings, I desperately wanted Obama to be true to his promises (and, with it, the widely foretold prophecies of the potential cultural enlightening that electing a first African-American President of the USA might deliver) but after reading around the subject both before and immediately after his election I did warn friends that it wasn't likely to happen.


The article linked to above ACLU chief 'disgusted' with Obama includes these edited
extracts;

"The top official at the American Civil Liberties Union seems to be losing patience with President Barack Obama and his administration. Speaking at a conference of liberal activists Wednesday morning, ACLU Executive Director Anthony Romero didn't mince his words about the administration's handling of civil liberties issues. "I'm going to start provocatively ... I'm disgusted with this president," Romero told the America's Future Now breakout session, according to blogger Marcy Wheeler of Firedoglake.com.


In an interview with POLITICO, Romero confirmed the gist of the quote, though he emphasized it wasn't intended as an ad hominem attack. "I'm not disgusted at President Obama personally. It's President Obama's policies on civil liberties and national security issues I'm disgusted by. It's not a personal attack," Romero said. While liberals of various stripes have or had gripes with how Obama has conducted himself since taking office, civil libertarians may well be the most disillusioned at this point.


"There was a discussion this morning, and there has been generally in progressive circles, about expectations that have not been met. I made the point that expectations were high because the president set expectations very high," Romero said.


Asked why he's so animated now, Romero said: "It’s 18 months and, if not now, when? ... Guantanamo is still not closed. Military commissions are still a mess. The administration still uses state secrets to shield themselves from litigation. There's no prosecution for criminal acts of the Bush administration. Surveillance powers put in place under the Patriot Act have been renewed. If there has been change in the civil liberties context, I frankly don't see it."


Many analysts now regard it as unlikely that Guantanamo, which was supposed to close this past January under Obama's presidential order on the subject, will close this year. Romero agreed that if Sept. 11 trials proceed before military commissions at Guantanamo it's hard to see how the prison will close in the year or two after that.


"The unwillingness of the administration to stick by its guns and prosecute the Sept. 11 defendants in criminal court does not bode well for the broader civil liberties agenda," he said. "The fact they've not announced anything raises the specter of doubt that, in itself, is debilitating to the Justice Department and raises serious questions about the administration's commitment to the rule of law. Their silence speaks volumes."


Dazmando notes: It would appear that many Liberals are losing patients with the promise that Obama appeared to bring of new hope. How much is this down to who Obama is or what he believes he can get past the divided politicians and the outspoken American Right Wing is unknown. Althought if it is the latter then Obama is not taking enough risks because he would be attacked by the right anyway but does he really want to be attacked by the Centre, the Left and the Liberals as well. Obama needs to stand up and show the world what hes really made off. If Obama doesn't them everyone will lose faith with him.

Todays link is to the Norfolk Blogger who ask Just why the Green Party don't get economics

Local Blog: Cuts fight back meeting Bracknell

There is a public meeting called Con-dem-ned to cuts, How can we organise the fight back. It's in Bracknell at Room 2 in the Coopers Hill Youth Centre on Thursday, 24th June at 7.30pm. The main speaker is Terry Pearce who was involved in the save the Look In Cafe and is organised by the Socialist Party.

The Socialist Party were in town today to promote this event among other things. I'm expecting many more such events and many more unhappy workers across Europe to the cuts caused by the deficit and the banking crisis.

Its very interesting to see that people do not believe that Labour are the party to fight these cuts as they do judge the 3 main parties as being the same and do not judge Labour as a socialist party. This has not been helped by the recent Labour leadership race.

Stitch up on cuts?‏

On Thursday there were some claims that a prearranged clandestinely was left in the government spending plans by Labour. Chief Secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander told the commons that certain recently planned projects will be cancelled. This list can be viewed on the BBC website here.

The argument goes that Labour was expecting to lose and left extra spending plans which they knew the New Government would have to cut, thereby making the new government look bad.

I like to think that this is not the case. I like to think that politicians don't do that sort of things. So I'm giving Labour the benefit of the doubt. Personally I would argue that these are not cuts because these projects have not yet begun. I would argue that these are spending proposals which will now not come to pass (although some are under review and may still happen).

Chris Huhne on BBC Question Time last night had the best sum up quote on Labours planned spending "No existence outside of the imaginations of Labour ministers". I don't know what Labour would of done with regards to cutting spending other than delay the plan to cut spending thereby risking our credit rating and interest rate payments. But could Labour if in power, go back and cut these plans while blaming their Lib Dems coalition partners? I do wonder.

When it comes to spending cuts I'm not a big fan but I do really understand that this country can't keep on spending beyond its means and will have to cut things we would prefer to keep and indeed raise taxes. I wish Labour would provide some alternatives to the government and then argue the case for these. That would put Labour in a stronger position and would in effect improve their arguments.

Promoting extremist groups

If the papers keep giving publicity to these extremist outspoken Muslim groups like Muslims Against Crusades or MAC then they are going to keep promoting themselves at various events and parades.

Although this appears to be a splinter group of the now banned Islam4UK who have changed their name a number of times due to banning orders. Banning doesn't really work and gives the impression that their are more of these morphing groups. The Daily Mail or other Newspapers don't appear to be reporting this how these groups are linked or in many cases the same people.

I believe these stories should be reported and will be but they also receive way too much press. I do wonder if its in the Daily Mail's interest to keep this group in the news so that they can have there odd Muslims do this headline on their pages.

The Daily Mail article is linked here

I have blogged about banning beforeIs Banning Islam4UK Right?

Todays link is a related article to Our Kingdom - Ignore Islam4UK, don’t ban them