Archive - 2007

Terrible weather here on New Year's Eve!

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Sitting in bed listening to the waves crash below my balcony it is in a somewhat relaxed mood that I can look forward to 2008.

I have to say that I really hate all the programmes which always look back at the previous year. In some ways the whole process of looking back can be quite depressing, and I much prefer to look forward to the year ahead. I'm all for a Sinatra attitude to life - regrets - a few, but too few to mention.

As for me, I'm not really into making New Years Resolutions. I remember one of my previous employers launching a big marketing campaign to "Change One Thing" starting January 1st to make yourself healthier in some way - so in that respect I think I will continue in my quest to get a little bit slimmer, a little bit thinner so I can do this, but most of all I think I'd like to continue to be heathy and happy in the coming year.

Anything more than that has to be a bonus really.

I wonder whether any of our politicians will be making resolutions?

Will the Labour party finally resolve to stop using the line "its 18 years of Tory rule" to try to excuse any of their failings? And  do any fellow bloggers have any particularly interesting resolutions? I will be sure to look out to see if the likes of Dizzy, Ellee, Iain Dale, Donal Blaney, ConservativeHome and the excellent writers at the Spectators Coffee House can enlighten us as to what they will be doing differently in 2008.

As I am currently six hours behind UK time I thought I would get in early to wish all Tory Radio listeners a Happy New Year. I hope we provided a bit of enjoyment in 2007, and hope you will continue to "tune in" in 2008!

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The Queen is apparently "broadcasting" her Christmas message on Youtube, so I thought I'd give you an amusing little piece of audio as a Christmas treat.

Tony Capstick was a local DJ on Radio Sheffield during my childhood, and his son also went to my school. He recorded a few pieces of comedy before his untimely death - and this is one of my favourites.

As I'm currently in the States it brings back a few memories of Christmas in Chesterfield when I was growing up. OK - it wasn't that bad, and it makes me laugh anyway.

Have a brilliant Christmas and thanks for listening in over the past year!

Just click the download button or listen to the file in our media player.

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I am currently sitting in a beach house overlooking the Gulf of Mexico. The sun is just about to set and the tempetature is a comfortable 65. Merry Christmas from Tory Radio.

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Whilst this isn't www.libdemradio.com it is the season of goodwill to all men, women, and even Lib Dems, so for your "enjoyment" here is Nick Cleggs speech following his victory in the Lib Dem leadership content.

Click the download button or listen to the speech in our inbuilt player.

Enjoy.

And for any Lib Dems visiting who want to do something extremely charitable, whilst also ensuring that this Tory really will suffer some pain, just visit this link.

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Nick Clegg becomes leader of the Lib Dems securing 20,988 votes compared to the 20,477 secured by Chris Huhne.

I have to say that given the Lib Dems see themselves as a major force inUK politics, the fact that it only takes around 21,000 votes for you to become party leader does strike me as very interesting.

I suspect there will be sound defeated Parliamentary candidates that got more votes in a single constiuency than that.

Interesting times ahead.

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Radio 1 may want to edit this song. We think its a good song just as it is.

We will also be wishing people a MERRY CHRISTMAS too and won't be using the awful HAPPY HOLIDAYS phrase that seems to be creeping in. Though whether Santa will be able to deliver all those presents is another matter. The Carbon emissions from his new sleigh is just appalling!

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I'm off to the States on Friday and will be taking my laptop with me. I don't think there is any password protected confidential data on the hard drive, which has plenty of free space on it, so if there is any Government Department who wants to take advantage of a few free GB of memory let me know and then I can possibly lose it somewhere on the other side of the pond.

Passport details for the whole of the UK? Everyone's National Insurance numbers? All suggestions gratefully received.

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Well it's been quite a year. We've had Blair applauded off the stage (deserved for that level of acting ability), had Ming Campbell kicked off the stage by those nasty Lib Dems and Gordon Brown heralded and hated within the space of six months. And what of David Cameron, he's had a honeymoon at both the start and the end of the year with a near divorce in the middle.

Where do we stand going forward then?

Well I'll make a prediction that Gordon Brown is unelectable. He has all the presentational skills of David Brent and the decision making skills of a lemming. He's shown himself to be scared of the British public by virtue of the fact that he pulled out of an election and an EU treaty referendum. On the doorsteps I see no enthusisim for him. If I'm noticing it, then I'm sure Labour MP's are, so what are they goimg to do about it?

In my opinion they'll do nothing, mainly due to the fact that there is no one to replace him. The mere that that Jack Straw is seen as the only replacement shows how bereft they are of talent. This is a man who helped create the shambles that the Home Office is today. Brown's young turk are totally without experience and likeability. There is an arrogence attached to them which comes of never fighting a marginal seat and have to go out there and win peoples votes. Put together with a complicated process of getting rid of a Labour leader, and a leader who will never want to go, there's little doubt he's fighting the election.

Then I got thinking about counter history and what would have happened had Robin Cook lived. Although they made up before his death, would there have been any possiblity he could have challenged Brown for the leadership. Maybe not, he would have had a senior cabinet post and had reportadly said he was 'insufficiently attractive to be an election winner'. I wonder though. Could you imagine him getting rolled over at PMQ's in the same way Brown does? He could have represented a real change for Labour without Iraq baggage and the fact that he hasn't been 2nd in command in the failing Government.

If he didn't run, then he would now be talked about as the alternative leader now surely. We will never know, but how The Labour Party must wish he was still here.

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To listen to the response to Gordon Brown's European Council Statement and the questioning that followed click the download button, or listen to the podcast in our inbuilt media player.

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Click the download button to listen to Brown's European Council Statement. The response from David Cameron and questions can be found at this link. 

And if you thought that was a marathon statement and response...... take a look at what I've got myself into

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I'm currently watching the Prime Minister give a statement on the European Council to Parliament. I certainly suspect that there will be some interesting questions. The podcast will come as soon as the Statement and questions hav finished.

Every time I see the Prime Minister perform I not only have to think how many Labour MPs must really be missing Tony Blair, but also that one of the greatest assets the Tory Party has at the moment is the current incumbent at No. 10.

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Well here it is - the first of my "marathon podcasts" to let people know how the training is going and why on earth I'm doing such a thing!

Let me know what you think either in the comments or by email at the usual address. Thanks to all those who have already contributed sponsorship, and to those who haven't but may want to, you can visit www.justgiving.com/jonathansheppard2008 and donate online.

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Was there any Christmas spirit at PMQs or was it all bah humbug? To listen to today's exchanges either click the download button or listen to it in our in built media player.

If this podcast puts you in the Christmas spirit - then why not help my worthwhile cause? A time when the phrase it will hurt me more than it hurts you really does apply!

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In four months and a day I will be doing a bit of sightseeing. Not the usual tour of London for it will be the London Marathon. I wish I had visited http://www.cheaperthanhotels.co.uk/United-Kingdom/London/ as I have just forked out a pretty penny for a hotel in Mayfair.

Mind you I'm not sure I will get a good night's sleep if previous ocassions are anything to go by. I didn't take advantage of these offers the previous two times I done the course either. Maybe I could use that as an excuse as to why people with very heavy rhino costumes flew by me well before Canary Wharf - or indeed why the 60 year old subpostmaster gave me a lesson in long distance running by soundly beating me in the 2000 marathon.

For those of you who have just found out you have a place - well done. You may well need a hotel so pay this site a visit as I know lots of London hotels are getting booked up already.

A big thank you to all who have sponsored me - we are very close to the £400 mark. For those of you who still want to donate click the just giving button in the right hand column.

Make sure you check back with the site tomorrow for the PMQs podcast!!

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In a fascinating podcast (which you can download above, or listen to in our inbuilt media player) Grant Shapps, Shadow Housing Minister asks the question can we speed the house buying process up as part of the recently launched Home Buying Review.

Grant's research seems to indicate that there are currently £340 million in abortive costs a year, when house sales fall through, something I can personally testify to. In fact I can estimate that the current flawed process of buying and selling a house probably cost me at least £5,000.

Grant makes an extremely senisble pledge to scrap HIPs whilst at the same time commits a future Conservative Government to retaining the energy performance certificate.

The home buying review is about finding other things to aid the process and you can have your own say by visiting www.homebuyingreview.com

You can of course let us know what you thing about the home buying process. Does it need to change - and if so what should be done.

Call 0845 257 0 427 and record your own message now.

(Leave your comment after the message telling you your call can't be taken. Your comments may be used in a Tory Radio podcast).

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It's only a week until the gripping contest that is the Lib Dem leadership contest comes to a conclusion. It's odds on the that Nick Clegg will prevail. Has the leadership election itself and following Vince Cable made his task a little trickier than it looked a few weeks ago though.
 
Before the leadership contest, Clegg had a profile similar to Ming Campbell's few years ago. The man who should have run for leader and had a firm grip on his brief. During the leadership contest though, there have been one or two unedifying moments. His run in with Chris Huhne on the Politics Show over the 'Calamity Clegg' document, as well as undertones from the Huhne camp about lack of real life experience. As well as that, there has not been a lot of vision or ideas from Clegg, partly due to Lib Dem conferences making their policy. Much has been made about breaking the law on ID cards if they are bought in, but that's student behaviour and not that of a statesman.
 
His biggest problem though is taking over from the successful deputy Vince Cable. Cable achieved something almost unheard of when he got the Lib Dems noticed in the House of Commons, with the line about Stalin to Mr Bean which could well stick to Gordon Brown. Clegg will struggle to better Cable in the Commons, and bearing in mind it was the Chamber that shaped the impression that Ming was not performing and incompetent, Clegg will need to be on top of his game for his first performance in the new year.
 
I wonder if he regrets not going for the deputy leadership. If he had, he could have been shown to have been the competent leader following the disastrous reign of Ming. In leaving the field open for Cable, he's created another 'he should have been leader figure'. Dangerous people to have around.

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Cynicism towards the Labour government is well-founded.  The recent donation scandal is alarming but not surprising, and it is even less surprising that the government has chosen to revisit the proposals to extend the detention period without charge, such is the controversial and headline-grabbing nature of Jacqui Smith's plan (nicely deflecting attention away from Mr Abrahams et al).  What is baffling is that extending the 28-day detention period seems to be without purpose or objective, which is unusual for Labour as they normally try to sneak some hidden motive past the public's nose even if it isn't immediately apparent.  In the complete absence of any public or confidential evidence supporting changes to the law, the whole process seems absurd.  MPs don't want the law changed and numerous legal experts also fail to see the logic.
 
Gordon Brown's own Security Minister, Admiral Lord West of Spithead, did a spectacular U-turn on his views about these proposed changes.  After recently telling Radio 4's Today programme that was not "fully convinced" of the need to raise the detention limit, he emerged from a meeting with Gordon Brown about an hour later saying "My feeling is, yes, we need more than 28 days,".  His subsequent remark was even more revealing: "I personally absolutely believe that within the next two to three years, we will require more than that for one of these complex plots."  So, in short, Gordon Brown's own Security Minister admits that there has never been a case where a limit above 28 days would have helped.

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Well I've finally got my Christmas cards posted, and to those of you who like virtual cards, I thought I'd give you a special treat which you can see here.

Just think what fun you can have putting your favourite politician in an elf suit and having them strut their stuff. I've had David Cameron and even Iain Dale - but it just didn't seem right. I'm sure you can come up with some excellent ones yourself. Maybe even Andrew Neil? Or an elf like Adam Boulton?

May we be the first to wish you the best for the festive period!

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I always have to raise an eyebrow when I read stories which talk about the rights of convicted murderers.

I have to say that this story which states, and I quote, " The human rights of a murderer and his wife were breached when they were not allowed to have a child by artificial insemination, it has been ruled" is one such instance when my eyebrow gets raised.

It reminds me of the case during the election when I was asked to comment about the rights of a convicted murderer who again was claiming their human rights had been breached because the Health Service at the time would not pay for gender re-assignment. You can probably guess what my comments were!

Frankly I'm sick to the back teeth of hearing about the rights of convicted murderers and the like. Surely the whole point of being convicted is that you lose certain rights, or am I missing something?

If we are seriously going to talk about human rights then what about the rights of the victim? Perhaps the European Court of Human Rights would like to start protecting the law abiding amongst us first, but maybe that's just too much to ask.

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To listen to this weeks PMQs you can either click the download button above or listen to it in our media player.

So what do you think of the performances this week? Did Cable crack another joke? Did Cameron have the Prime Minister for breakfast or was Gordon's clunking fist back in action?

Give us a call on 0845 257 0 427 and record your comments.

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Chris Grayling MP, Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary took the time to talk to Tory Radio about what he described as an extraordinary week in politics.

To listen to the podcast click the download button above, or listen to it in the media player on our website.

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Ann Coulter may or may not be a name that immediately springs to your attention. She is an American Christian fundamentalist and a conservative commentator. You may naturally think that, as a Conservative, you share common morals, ethics and ideals. Well you probably don't, and that is why I am continually surprised when her books are recommended at various British Conservative events. She is a Republican, and that is often why the more right wing of the Conservative party often offer her up as an ally.
 
Coulter has courted a lot of media attention and, as a result, a lot of airtime in the US. This however, has been heavily reliant on her mostly questionable comments on a range of controversial subjects. Her ultra right-wing repertoire has ensured she is one of the most controversial and outspoken commentators on American politics. So why should British Conservatives not consider her to be a role model?

Well, firstly, there are her comments on Muslim nations such as "we should invade their countries, kill their leaders and convert them to Christianity" which is offensive and quite frankly likely to incite hatred. Then she moves on to attack, on live television some particularly outspoken and media savvy 9/11 widows by declaring that "…these broads are millionaires… revelling in their status as celebrities. I've never seen people enjoying their husbands' deaths so much …by the way, how do we know their husbands weren't planning to divorce these harpies? Now that their shelf life is dwindling, they'd better hurry up and appear in Playboy…". As if that wasn't enough, she goes out of her way to demean every woman in the US with her views on rights to vote. The argument she uses is simple, but unsubstantiated: she says America "would be a much better country if women did not vote". Do I need to go on? It is hard for even the most ardent right-winger to find even a shred of common ground with Coulter. Even the Libertarians in Connecticut turned her down as a candidate after meeting her (and they more or less accept anyone). 

Over the years the American public and many journalists have become increasingly vocal in their attempts to stop Coulter attracting the levels of media exposure she currently enjoys. Much like the BNP in the UK however, her controversial views generate her exposure and a media platform. Everyone loves a hate figure after all.
 
Of course, in the land of the free, Coulter has a right to express her opinions, but what exactly is her agenda? It seems simply one of money-grabbing, opportunism and attention seeking. There is no personal ideological message of which she is passionate, but a much more selfish motivation of a large retirement fund; after all, as Ronald Reagan said, " politics is not a bad profession. If you succeed there are many rewards, if you disgrace yourself you can always write a book".

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To listen to todays PMQs you can either click the download button or listen to it in our own media player at the top of the site.

Did Cameron land a killer blow? Do you feel sorry for the PM, or did Brown come out fighting?

Listen to the podcast and decide for yourself.

In the meantime if you want to support a rather good cause click this link.

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I'm sure over the past week our football loving readers have been depressed as I about the current state of English international football. I have added depression supporting a team that is bottom of the table and ships 5 goals a game but I won't get into that now. Anyway in the last week reflecting on our hapless heroes inability to hold the ball less than 2 seconds, I wondered if Government and football team run parallel in their triumph and trouble. After all both are in trouble at the moment.
 
I'll start at 1966 when we last triumphed. Harold Wilson won the election of that year and after we won the world cup, traded on the fact that England wore red. You would think that would be enough to win you the next election and retain the world cup with most of the same squad. However in 1970, England went out in red unexpectedly and so did Labour. 
 
A decade of disappointment and failure was to follow. The Government was in regular crisis with strikes, and 3 changes of leader failing to get a grip of the Country. The Football team followed in a similar vain failing to qualify for any major tournaments throughout the decade with 3 changes of manager failing to get a grip of the team.
 
Then entered Margaret Thatcher and later Bobby Robson. Both faced early pressures with a change to moneterism and the dropping of Kevin Keegan. the former leading to high unemployment and the latter to England maybe failing to qualify for the 84 European Championships. Things did pick up though. The Economy for Thatcher and the 86 World Cup for England (where of course we were cheated out of it by Maradona).
 
However in 1990 both were forced out having left the Country in a much better state than they found it in. Both were replaced with lesser men. Major and Taylor both having pretty calamitous reigns with Black Wednesday and Koeman knocking us out the World Cup of 94 by scoring for Holland when he should have been sent off. The media hammered both personally although I don't remember Major having his head made into a Turnip though.
 
Enter Sven and Tony. Both had big promises to live up to, but despite being good at winning, both were held back by the limitations of their teams. What they also have in common is not being appreciated at how good they were until they were gone. For when their number twos took over, a period of ineptitude and failure beckoned. Mclaren is gone, how long before we can get rid of Gordon?

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