Giving Our Rivers a Bit of Wiggle Room
I was watching ‘The Lakes’ with Simon Reeve last night, and I was struck by some of the programme’s content. On one section of the programme, Reeve was talking to a couple of geomorphologists. I will confess that I had never heard of this profession before. However, I quickly realised what a future role they will play in the natural environment. Increased Flooding In layman’s terms, they explained many of the ...
Corruption is the Issue, Not Second Jobs
I keep hearing MP’s and journalists debating what should happen to stop sleaze in parliament. This of course, is after the recent row over the Tories trying to ringfence Owen Paterson. Paterson was getting paid by two companies who were winning government contracts. This was clearly wrong, and he should have been sacked. In the end, he resigned, deciding that the cruel world of politics was too much. Then, shortly after, it was revealed that ...
Billy Bragg – Looking for another New England
About 20 years ago, I was having a debate with an elder friend of mine and I ended up quoting Clash frontman, Joe Strummer. He replied by saying, “That’s all and well Bob, but life isn’t the gospel according to Joe Strummer”. I can’t remember what the argument was about, but I did feel a bit of a twat. He was right of course and from that day onwards, I have refused to live a life with rules set by Joe Strummer, Paul Weller, or ...
Hugh Edwards and the Train Awards Scandal!!
There has been a lot of bad press about Tory MP’s this week. Second jobs in The British Virgin Islands, paid lobbying on behalf of Covid contractors, and an attempt to rip up the standards bill to protect Owen Paterson. Yet, whilst the media outlets have been all over this like a rash caused by an ill-fitting Burton suit, The Telegraph have been working on stories that really count. This week, whilst other national newspapers concentrated ...
A Taste of Portugal…In Andover!
I had to go into Andover today. It’s not the most attractive of towns but my friend John had told me about this little place (pictured). It’s a Portuguese bar, café, and shop, selling produce only from Portugal. It even had Portuguese TV on the screen on the wall. You can get a nice coffee, a glass of wine, or a pint of Sagres. I wish there were more little places like this. It can, albeit briefly, make you feel like you are on ...