Boxing clever?

Encouraging children to take up boxing could prevent a repeat of last summer's riots, a Bristol MP says.
Charlotte Leslie...said hopping into the ring was "as close as you'll get to a silver bullet" for harnessing the pent-up frustration of teenagers...(full story)

I wouldn't go as far as to say its a silver bullet but I do think Tory MP Charlotte Leslie's argument that boxing is a good means of  personal development for young people is a sound one. Professional boxing is badly in need of a reforming shake up in terms of its safety, money involved, management and the behaviour of boxers. However, amateur boxing, like many other sporting activities, can if properly delivered be a good activity that people can do together in their community. It requires participants to respect and work within a set of rules. It means those taking part get into a routine for training and planning. It promotes physical health and a focussed mental attitude. Surely it is reasonable to assume that these things help to develop greater social responsibility?

PMQs Queries

Today's Prime Ministers Questions featured some important matters of course...banking and bonus culture, reform of the NHS...As is most often the case however, the motivation for questions and answers is party politics and tactics - trying to get your opponent on the back foot. Very serious, highly topical matters that should be raised often dont get a look in.

 No MP let alone Labour Leader Ed Miliband, asked about policy on Afghanistan despite the fact that overnight it was reported that a 'secret Nato report seen by the BBC suggests the Taliban in Afghanistan are being directly helped by the Pakistani security service (ISI).' (see full report and links to others here). This is a matter of life and death to our service personnel and Pakistan is supposed to be an ally. 

 Also no questions on the ongoing, unresolved economic crisis in Greece that could have widespread ramifications and where 'problems are as bad as ever.' (see here). Nothing on the prospect of famine in West Africa (here)...Ok, there is limited time and there are many serious issues that could be asked about - but there is a definite pattern to PMQs that severely narrows the topics chosen and the style and quality of debate.    

Christian Community Christmas

Priests brawl in Bethlehem's Church of the Nativity:  Scuffles have broken out between rival groups of Greek Orthodox and Armenian clerics in a turf war at Bethlehem's Church of the Nativity.


Bemused tourists looked on as about 100 priests fought with brooms while cleaning the church in preparation for Orthodox Christmas, on 7 January.

Palestinian police armed with batons and shields broke up the clashes.

Groups of priests have clashed before in the church, built on the spot where Christians believe Jesus was born.

"It was a trivial problem that... occurs every year," Bethlehem police Lt-Col Khaled al-Tamimi told Reuters.

"No one was arrested because all those involved were men of God," he said...

Full BBC story http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-16347418.

From a culture of war to a culture of peace

Bruce Kent, Vice-chair of CND, will speak at a public meeting on Tues 4th Oct at the Central Quaker Meeting House, Champion Square, BS2 9DB on the subject: 'From a Culture of War to a Culture of Peace'. He asks why our society is dominated by military values and thinking and whether this leads to greater security and happiness. Refreshments from 6.30; informal conversation with Bruce from 7.00; Bruce's presentation at 7.30 p.m. followed by questions and discussion.Admission free but retiring collection. Organised by Bristol Quakers.

Gaddafi and friends

Gaddafi and his friends Blair, Brown, Obama, Sarkozy, Assad, Putin, Rice, Van Rompuy, Berlusconi...

Click image to see a larger version.

Government promotion of arms trading

There is a very strong case for closing the UK Trade and Investment Defence and Security Organisation (UKTI DSO). The UK's active promotion of arms trading through the UKTI DSO should end because arms trading has a devastating impact on millions of people including many living under repressive and violent regimes (see BBC report below*). Such regimes can never be relied on and selling arms to them threatens the security of both the people in those countries and UK interests.

*http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-12967374

Arms export deals: MPs criticise UK's stance - Ministers past and present have been criticised over the UK's export of weapons to regimes in Africa and the Middle East.

The cross-party Committees on Arms Exports Controls accused ministers of "misjudging" the risk that the weapons might be used for internal repression. Countries recently sold UK arms include Libya, Egypt and Bahrain.

But the government, which has revoked arms licences to several countries, said its safeguards were "robust".

As recently as last year, the UK approved arms exports to regimes that have used force to confront popular uprisings.

Ammunition and tear gas were sold to Libya, with sniper rifles, sub-machine guns and CS grenades exported to Bahrain. Parts for armoured vehicles and weapons also went to Egypt.

The cross-party group of MPs noted that since January the government had "been vigorously backpedalling", revoking a total of 160 arms export licences. In February, dozens of licences for the export of arms to Bahrain were revoked after a Foreign Office review amid fears over the suppression of protests there....

(click the link* for more details)

See: http://www.caat.org.uk/

*http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-12967374

http://www.greenparty.org.uk/news/05-04-2011-arms-exports-report.html

Military action in Libya

This * seemed like a sensible initial position on the Libya no-fly zone for the Greens. Given what Caroline Lucas said on last weeks Question Time, clearly siding with former Sun editor Kelvin MacKenzie on the panel in opposing military action, things have changed. On this issue I find myself in opposition to the Greens leader, for once, if not my party. MacKenzie basically said '‎'Not worth it...Nothing to do with us...' which is surely not something Greens want to be associated with - I certainly dont.

*On the subject of a no-fly zone, a Green Party spokesperson said:

"We are not ruling out support for a no-fly zone, but it would need to be very carefully handled and would need the support of countries in the region. It would have to be something that the civilian population wanted, and only be enforced to protect the civilian population.

"Past no-fly zones have not always achieved the desired outcome and have not always protected the civilian population.

"Most importantly, the UN Security Council must refer the situation in Libya to the International Criminal Court. Colonel al-Gaddafi must understand that all those responsible for carrying out attacks on civilians will be held to account."

http://www.greenparty.org.uk/news/11-03-2011-parliamentary-vote-libya.html

Cameron 'committed to full Trident replacement'

There isn't all-party support for retaining the UK nuclear deterrent, though the BBC asserts that there is. The Green Party eg through Caroline Lucas MP, is very clearly and strongly opposed and regards both the threatened and actual use of any weapon of mass destruction as immoral and illegal - and there are other MPs that support this view. Ludicrously our PM David Cameron uses phrases like 'keep our guard up' and 'insurance policy' about nuclear weapons!

It is, sadly, right to say though that few politicians are now arguing a fundamental case against nuclear weapons. I watched the 1959 film On the Beach about a post-apocalyptic world again recently. Its not a cheery number - with characters played by Gregory Peck, Ava Gardiner, Anthony Perkins, Fred Astaire and others facing the end of their lives and the end of human beings as fatal radiation levels spread across the globe - but for me its a classic film that makes some very telling points.

I'm 100% with Fred Astaire's character when he says 'The war started when people accepted the idiotic principle that peace could be maintained by arranging to defend themselves with weapons they could not possibly use without committing suicide.' (see video clip). Our PM David Cameron continues, with the support of the Labour and Lib Dem leadership, to support this idiotic principle.

"In terms of the future, all I can say... is that I am in favour of a full replacement for Trident, for continuous at-sea deterrent, and to make sure we keep our guard up.

"That is Conservative policy. It will remain Conservative policy as long as I am the leader of this party."'

All-party support

Labour MP John Woodcock, whose Barrow-in-Furness constituency builds the Trident submarines, also asked Mr Cameron for reassurance that he would not go back on his word.

Mr Cameron said: "I profoundly believe we should maintain our independent nuclear deterrent. I have looked at all of the alternatives over the years and I am completely convinced that you need a submarine based alternative - a full replacement for Trident in order to guarantee the ultimate insurance policy for this country."

BBC News - David Cameron 'committed to full Trident replacement'

BBC - BBC Two Programmes - American Dream, Plenty and Paranoia

This is a great series and for me is very compelling viewing. Its not endearing me to a lot of what America stands for...

BBC - BBC Two Programmes - American Dream, Plenty and Paranoia

"The American dream" - a phrase coined in 1931 that has become a national motto. It represents a unique brand of optimism that goes to the heart of what it is to be American. It is a simple phrase but a complex notion whose meaning is sustained and challenged by each generation.

After World War Two ended, Americans faced a future that seemed not only full of promise but also replete with danger. The United States emerged as the richest and most powerful nation in the world yet its safety and even its existence were widely perceived to be threatened as never before.

This series features those who helped foster and sell the dream, those who feel they have lived it, as well as those who challenge or reject the very notion. Through rare archive and eyewitness testimony, this series explores the realities behind America's most powerful myth - from the eve of the Second World War to the end of the Vietnam War.

More information and links here.

Aircraft carriers with...er...no aircraft: alternative use proposed

This use of aircraft carriers without any...er...aircraft has apparently been put forward by the Tory-Lib Dem Coalition Govt - obviously the 'greenest government ever' - in order to counter one of our real security threats, climate change. Perhaps it will be followed by flowers in guns instead of bullets, bombers turning into butterflies above our nation.... http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/normantebbit/100059722/defence-review-aircraft-carriers-without-aircraft-are-like-a-pub-without-beer/

Water Words

Pairs of words that sum up a lot of water issues: life’s essential; renewable...potentially; community rooting; unevenly distributed; wasted widely; polluted commonly; rich, 100’s l; poor 10’s l; piped...UK; carried...Africa; city...leaks; extremely useful; farming, mostly; cooling, cleansing; ‘universal’ solvent; reservoirs, dams; socio-environmental havoc; community uprooting; climate changing; needs...wants; conflict prevention; modest measures; efficiency, accessibility; massive benefits!
http://blogactionday.change.org/

After the bombs dropped: Hiroshima and Nagasaki - Asia, World - The Independent

After the bombs dropped: Hiroshima and Nagasaki - Asia, World - The Independent

An exhibition documenting the impact of the nuclear attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki during World War II opens in London today.

Stopped clocks, flattened clothing, the charred contents of a tin lunchbox and a mangled glass bottle are among artefacts recovered from the wreckage of the two Japanese cities and brought to the UK for the first time to coincide with the 65th anniversary of the attacks.

The exhibition brings together first hand accounts of what took place on the 6th and 9th of August 1945 with objects representing the 340,000 people killed when the United States dropped two atomic bombs- events which led to Japan’s surrender from the war only days later...

Its the 65th anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima tomorrow and Nagasaki on 9th Aug. We then demonstrated the capability and willingness to deploy atomic weapons of mass destruction in a war situation, mass killing non-combatants on a scale and with a speed previously unmatched. We can kill on an even bigger scale now (there's 'progress' for you) and continue to regard the threat of mass destruction as acceptable and worth spending billions on to update systems. Presumeably the [growing number of] countries in possession of nuclear weapons are all willing to use them in certain circumstances. We cannot escape the consequences of our ethical choices - so lets hope nuclear disarmament proceeds ever more effectively and rapidly.

Pledges on children and childhood

I pledge to support children today to make tomorrow better for everyone - see email below from Action for Children. See all posts on young people here (which includes details of NSPCC, Every Disabled Child Matters, Save the Children and Gingerbread work and pledges).

Via the Political Exchange site I've also signed Plan UK's pledge to: Do what I can to ensure young people are given a voice in discussions about issues that affect the world they live in, particularly climate change; Support the campaign to ensure more girls have the chance to realise their potential and go to secondary school; Encourage more schools in my constituency to create links to schools in developing countries to share learning and turn young people into global citizens.

Also via Political Exchange I've agreed with the National Deaf Children's Society work to: Close the gap in educational attainment between deaf children and other children; Improve public services so deaf children and their families get the support they need from the start; Help deaf children in my constituency get the same opportunities as other children
______________________________________________

Dear Mr Vowles,

Make the future better: take your action for children now

As a prospective parliamentary candidate for the forthcoming general election, I would like you to take action for children now by pledging to support children today to make tomorrow better for everyone.

Around a million of today's children will be trapped in the same cycle of deprivation as their parents. From the moment they are born, their hopes of leading a happy and fulfilling life will diminish. Right from their first breath, they will be at risk of neglect - they will do worse at school, they are more likely to be unemployed, they are more likely to suffer mental ill health, to misuse drugs or alcohol and to end up in prison. And eventually, when they have children, the chances are the same thing will happen all over again. The costs of this to individuals, families, the State - and society as a whole - are almost unquantifiable.

But it doesn't have to be like this. Financial support alone will not solve the problem of deprivation. We are writing off their futures unless we take action now. We know what action is needed: targeted early intervention breaks the cycle of deprivation.

Please sign our pledge to support our campaign for early intervention and help us stop another generation being caught in the cycle of deprivation.

http://e-activist.com/ea-campaign/clientcampaign.do?ea.client.id=114&ea.campaign.id=5915

To find out more, read our latest research: Deprivation and risk: the case for early intervention.
http://www.actionforchildren.org.uk/content.aspx?CategoryID=680

Best wishes,

Helen Donohoe
Director of Public Policy

The needs of children

Have just signed the NSPCC 'I Stand for Children' pledge after receiving an email (edited and adapted extract in bold italics below) from a Bristol East voter. Children and childhood are very important and central to green thinking and action, given that we are about creating a new ethics - that of securing a decent life for future generations.

We are neglecting children's emotional and social needs and so we see significant depression, behavioural and developmental problems in children. We also see significant abuse of children. They need real protection, real food, real play, real experience of the world first hand, real and quality interaction with the adults in their lives - and time.

The NSPCC want the protection of children to be a top priority for the next elected Parliament - to ensure vital child protection reforms committed to are delivered, and essential funding and resources are secured.

The NSPCC want the next elected Parliament to:

*ensure that vital child protection reforms are fully implemented and resourced, following the death of Baby Peter and other child deaths since

*continue to fund helpline services for children, and for adults concerned about a child’s safety or welfare

*tackle domestic violence from a child’s point of view

*make the internet safer for children

*strengthen the role of the Children’s Commissioner in England

*provide resources for therapeutic services for children who have experienced abuse

The NSPCC has created a campaign website – www.istandforchildren.com/candidate.

Significant stats (5): 200 yrs before there is an equal number of women in Parliament, at the current rate

Read this stat in excellent coverage of International Women's Day in The Independent on Sunday. Some more: just 19.5% of MPs are women; 3 million women in the UK suffer rape, domestic violence, trafficking, forced marriage or other violence; 90% of local authorities do not have a rape crisis centre; of 109 High Court judges only 15 are women; womens average net income per week is £180 compared to £231 for men; 20% of people belive it is sometimes acceptable for a man to hit or slap his girlfriend; 36% believe a woman is partly responsible for being raped if she is drunk; 83% of experts cited in news stories are men; 19% is the proportion of women in news stories portrayed as victims, compared to 10% for men...

The front page of the paper had many powerful quotes from a range of women. Views expressed include: recent generations lack of achievement; momentum of women's movement has stalled; women suffering more from cuts in public services; equal pay not achieved; sexism still common; no female editors of broadsheet newspapers; female director general of the BBC needed; one woman a day dies in childbirth; girls suffer circumcision and prostitution; women left for hours on their own in labour...

Great to see Green Party leader Caroline Lucas on The Independents list of 100 women who changed the world (though I'm sure Caroline would say that she has a lot more to do yet!!). I was especially pleased to see scientists Rosalind Franklin, who played a key role in idenifying the structure of DNA, Jane Goodall, who has done vital work on chimpanzees and Helen Sharman, the first Briton to enter space(who I met when she visited the science dept at a school where I was working) listed, but did not see scientist Rachel Carson author of Silent Spring, who should be there. Caroline said this on her blog about the Greens policies:

Today is...a fitting day for the Green Party to launch its manifesto for women.

We support the introduction of quotas to ensure that boards of major companies are at least 40% female, based on the model already successfully implemented in Norway, and currently being considered in France.

We would insist that all large and medium-size companies carry out equal pay audits and redress inequalities uncovered; and that the law be changed to make joint suits for equal pay cases simpler.

We also propose better provisions for maternity and paternity leave, with a focus on paid paternity, to ensure that responsibilities are shared more equally in a way that benefits both parents.

I am proud to be a part of the only political party in Britain that is explicitly committed to equality for everyone, and as part of International Women's Week, I'm delighted to be appearing on Question Time this Thursday - in front of an all-woman audience.

More here:
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/news/a-century-of-distinction-100-women-who-changed-the-world-1917427.html

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/politics/the-rights-of-woman-how-far-have-they-advanced-1917579.html

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/politics/a-progress-report-six-tales-reveal-how-much-still-remains-to-be-done-1917580.html

Pioneering scheme in Bristol to make peace with your neighbours | Bristol News

Pioneering scheme in Bristol to make peace with your neighbours Bristol News

Great to see that this is up and running - and working - in Knowle West. I've blogged about this a few times*, as its a longstanding Green policy, a while back. I was concerned at the time that money might not be made available for this restorative justice work.

*See: http://vowlesthegreen.blogspot.com/2007/10/restorative-justice-in-south-bristol.html

http://vowlesthegreen.blogspot.com/2008/07/realities-of-violent-crime.html

Defence and security

My response to CND, who are seeking the views of general election candidates...I'm an anti-nuclear campaigner, both nuclear weapons and nuclear power, of over 25 yrs standing. I would certainly vote against the replacement of Trident and would vote for a Nuclear Weapons Convention aimed at banning all nuclear weapons internationally.

As a Green MP I would work to:

*Ensure that the British military is only used in self defence, or as a last resort, within an international UN-led policing force;

*Improve the military to promote human security, by focusing only on defence not aggression and specialising in crisis prevention, emergency relief and conflict resolution;

*Seek binding global agreements against all weapons of mass destruction, particularly nuclear weapons;

*End all export subsidies and increase controls on UK arms sales, especially to goverments who violate human rights.

Thatcherism is alive and well

Spent all my late teens, my twenties and half my thirties living under Tory governments. This had a huge effect on me, especially Margaret Thatcher and her 'no such thing as society' approach, Michael Heseltine and his love of American military bases and cruise missiles and Kenneth Baker's dictating to teachers (bear in mind he was in charge of education when I was training to teach and early on in my career after training). Since hundreds of thousands of people have had a go at redesigning that David Cameron poster I thought I'd have a go at it too.

The right to be out, safe and secure at night...

Received an invite to Reclaim the Night, organised by Bristol Feminst Network from a Facebook friend today. Thought I'd pass on details of this event and contribute to publicising it a bit. The text below (and image top left) is copied from a Bristol Feminist Network Facebook group, which I joined recently:

Bristol Reclaim the Night 2010 will take place on Friday 26 February. Plans are being made for a vigil to remember those affected by sexual violence, a march, a club night to raise funds for a local service and to celebrate our achievements.

RTN is about standing together and reclaiming our right to be out in our city at night free from the fear of violence and harassment. We hope that you will lend your support to this evening of events which is a part of an international movement.

Get involved!

RTN is a community effort and couldn't happen without the generosity of the people who support it. We receive help from groups and individuals from all over the city, from all back grounds, united by a common desire to make our city a safer place for everyone.

In order to get this show on the road we are going to need volunteers. There are opportunities to get involved on all sorts of levels with all sorts of tasks. We particularly need to hear from people who could help with:

Stewarding

Banner painting

Flyering

Fundrasing

Drumming

Dancing and performance art

Bands and DJs

Cyclists

Sound equipment

Club night management

If you have ideas or suggestions to bring to RTN please do let us know. If you are a local group or charity this could be a great opportunity to raise your profile and add strength to the campaign so please get in touch.

Please email BFN admin on bristol_feminist@yahoo.co.uk to get involved.

Thank you:)

more details: http://www.bristolfeministnetwork.com/reclaim-the-night.html

Action on alcohol

Lets face it – alcohol is extremely popular with the vast majority of people but it’s a drug, albeit legal and non-prescription, which affects every organ in the human body and changes behaviour to threaten life and health. Alcohol has all the risks of addiction and illness of illegal drugs and indeed some prescription drugs. The huge and growing alcohol problem has been well illustrated by recent widespread news reports eg ‘Bristol’s got a drink problem’ front page headline and ‘Alcohol’s cheap - and now we’re all paying the price’ (Post, 18 January).

It may not be popular with some, perhaps many, but its right that we take action on alcohol to prevent abuse and promote responsibility. I agree with calls to crackdown on the sale of cheap alcohol, with better controls and a minimum price per unit of alcohol, though our Government has been criticised for being too close to the drinks industry and not listening enough to advice from Sir Liam Donaldson, Chief Medical Officer. We should really bring in a complete ban on the promotion of alcohol products, including sponsorship, direct or indirect advertising and product placement on remuneration or reward.

The tax levied on alcohol products should be in proportion to the amount of alcohol in the finished product. The effect of alcohol tax levels on alcohol consumption should be reviewed continually and should inform decisions on increasing taxation.

The net profits of companies producing alcohol for consumption, and the dividends paid to shareholders of these companies should attract a significantly higher rate of taxation than now.

The additional money from higher alcohol taxation should be used to fund expanded health and education programs which should be targeted at those at highest risk of harming themselves and others and at changing drinking culture. Additional funds for policing in key problem areas could also be made available. Penalties for drunk and disorderly behaviour and driving whilst under the influence of alcohol should be increased and the permitted alcohol to blood ratio of drivers should be reduced.

Serving alcohol in smaller measures should be on offer. Suppliers should be required to provide clearer and accurate information about the unit alcohol content. Both these and other measures would help to facilitate more responsible drinking of alcohol.

Glenn Vowles, Green Party Parliamentary Candidate for Bristol East

_______________________________________________________

Further information on alcohol and health:

http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publichealth/Healthimprovement/Alcoholmisuse/index.htm