More good news on the increasing reach of international justice: “Two Croatian military leaders have been convicted of atrocities against Serbs during the break up of Yugoslavia in the 1990s” (BBC)
Both Lynne Featherstone and Evan Harris have previously pushed for the rules of royal succession to be changed to remove the precedence given to males over females. As Lynne has put it previously, the monarchy is about symbolism – so it should have the right symbolism. Now Nick Clegg is also on the case: “Mr Clegg, who is responsible for constitutional reform, told the BBC the issue would “require careful thought”. But he said both he and David Cameron were “sympathetic” to changing rules which seemed “a little old fashioned”.” (BBC).
Government bans export of three more lethal injection drugs to the US.
Tory troubles in Bedford: “Senior Tory backs independent against his own party’s candidate: Kempston Conservatives have backed an independent candidate who is standing for election to Borough Hall – 18 months after she was expelled from the party, and despite the fact that she is standing against two party members” (Bedford Today)
Lib Dem councillor switches to the Conservatives in Rochdale, whilst Welsh Lib Dems have a proof-reading problem.
3 Comments
So the True Finns have had a massive result in the Finnish General Election today. This is hugely important news as it again shows that Olli Rehn and co are wildly out of touch with popular opinion on bailouts. How do we as a Europhile party respond to the overwhelming mood of public anger with bailouts – both for feckless nations and feckless lenders?
On the monarchy issue, the whole thing is an anachronism, so as such I think it’s silly to want to modernise it. The only way to modernise it is to get rid of it. We keep it there as a historical relic, and actually I have a lot of sympathy with leaving it in place for that reason. And as we are leaving it in place or that reason, I say keep all the anachronisms as part of it being a historical relic. As a Catholic, I have no problem at all with the quaint restrictions on the monarchy regarding my religion. So, PLEASE, people like Mr Clegg and Mr Harris, don’t get worked up on my behalf about it, I don’t want you to do so, and I find it patronising when you do. There are many, many other things I find more offensively anti-Catholic than this (e.g. the bias amongst liberal commentators on the issue, Mr Harris take note, you may be familiar with the scriptural text on motes and beams).
I think Americans have more then enough lethal substances to continue with their practice of death penalties, but if nothing else this is good message to USA what civilized people think about it.