My new website/blog: Campaign for Citizenship Equality

Please support my Campaign for Citizenship Equality.

I'm eligible for British citizenship by descent but refuse to apply because of unfair conditions.

I have set up a new website to address the ongoing inequality regarding the right to claim unconditional British citizenship by anyone with a British parent.


http://britishbydescent.wordpress.com/

and a blog

You can follow my campaign on Twitter too:

https://twitter.com/BritbyDescent

Smeargate: the Downing Street emails scandal

This Easter weekend has been a big weekend for news in British politics. Gordon Brown’s key adviser Damian McBride was forced to resign after an email he sent smearing top Conservatives fell into the hands of a prominent blogger. Damian McBride was forced to resign after an email he sent smearing top Conservatives fell into the hands of a prominent blogger. Here Christopher Hope, The Daily Telegraph's Whitehall Editor, explains the background to the scandal, and how The Daily Telegraph came to have a hand in the downfall of one of Gordon Brown's top aides. The downfall of Damian McBride has its roots in a speech by Communities secretary Hazel Blears last November, when she warned of the increasing powers of rightwing bloggers to influence political debate. In her speech she complained about a "spreading corrosive cynicism... by people with disdain for the political system and politicians. The most popular blogs are right-wing, ranging from the considered Tory views of Iain Dale to the vicious nihilism of Guido Fawkes." (link via telegraph.co.uk) I don't profess to understand everything about British politics but without a doubt I can see that this dirty tricks scandal is despicable! One thing I can say though is thank goodness for free speech and the power of blogs, particularly political blogs such as Guido Fawkes' Blog and Iain Dale's Diary.

The health secretary, Alan Johnson states that Gordon Brown does not have to apologise for emails sent by his aide proposing a smear campaign against David Cameron. (link via guardian.co.uk)

What do you think? Do you think Gordon Brown should apologise? If you are a supporter of the Labour party, has it changed your views about the party? What are your thoughts about the whole scandal? And what do you think about British politics?

This made my day!

I had a lovely surprise today when I read a comment from Flighty, one of my regular readers -and one of the nicest bloggers on the web, I have to add - and he informed me that he had given me an award and to read about it on his blog, Flighty's plot, which of course I did, straight away. I have to say that he really made my day. I'm incredibly pleased and flattered that Flighty considers me to be an inspirational blogger (one of six) and that he kindly awarded me with the Tree of Happiness award! Apparently, the idea is to pass the award on to others by posting a similar entry and listing six things that make me happy, and pass on this lovely award to six other bloggers. Flighty (thoughtful as ever) has stressed that I don't have to feel obliged to do so, but I think I will. I'll give it some careful thought and post about it in the near future. Thank you, Flighty!

Fair Flags Campaign

There is a new blog called Fair Flags Campaign which "calls on supermarkets and other retailers to recognise and treat fairly all the constituent countries of the United Kingdom." (link via Why England Needs A Parliament blog)

Living Oprah

I'm constantly amazed by the number of new blogs that are created everyday and the incredibly diverse ideas for blogs that people come up with. Living Oprah is the name of a blog by a 35 year old writer, performer and artist living in Chicago. Her idea for her fascinaitng blog is quite simple really: I am performing an experiment for one year. I will live as Oprah advises on her television show, on her website and in the pages of her magazines. The tagline to her website is "Live Your Best Life" and I wonder, will I truly find bliss if I commit wholeheartedly to her lifestyle suggestions? I think it's a very clever idea and I wouldn't be surprised if she gets a book deal out of her blog!

New health blog by GP

The Financial Times presents an impressive new health blog by GP and columnist Margaret McCartney where she will discuss health care and policy issues in the news. I recommend her blog if you are interested in learning more about health issues in the news, and want to read a professional view (by a family doctor) about those issues. I think it's an excellent blog, and one that I plan to read regularly, so I've added Margaret McCartney to my blogroll.

CCTV Cameras "don't substantially reduce crime"

Bruce Schneier (an American cryptographer, computer security specialist, and writer) has written an excellent article about how CCTV doesn't keep us safe, yet the cameras are everywhere (link via guardian.co.uk) CCTV cameras (and all the other surveillance) is a very hot topic in the UK since we are frequently referred to as 'the most surveilled country' in the world, and yet just last month, it was reported in The Guardian that the CCTV boom has failed to slash crime, say police. As Mr. Schneier points out, if CCTV cameras were a crime deterrent, then camera-happy London, with something like 500,000, would be the safest city on the planet. Indeed. I have made a very similar observation (I usually refer to the UK not just London) and said practically the same words whenever CCTV cameras are being discussed. I'm sure there are many others who have concluded the same thing - and yet we still get more CCTV cameras! The solution to rising crime isn't more CCTV as Mr. Schneier states: The funds spent on CCTV cameras would be far better spent on hiring experienced police officers. Here's the million dollar question though: Does anyone in government listen to the experts*? *Schneier on Security - A blog covering security and security technology.