Interview with Shadow Secretary of State for Scotland

To listen to a half house interview with David Mundell MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Scotland, either click this link or use the media player at the top of the website.

What are the party going to do about the West Lothian question? What about the Barnett Formula? An English Parliament? Have the SNP delivered a land of milk and honey? “Tune In” to find out!

Two new Tory Radio interviews this week!!

On Wednesday we will be interviewing the Shadow Secretary of State for Scotland, with an interview taking place 24 hours later with the Shadow Minister for Europe.

If you have any questions for them email us at editor@toryradio.com

 

Is Tom Harris, or any Labour MP sorry about the Post Office?

I suppose you can forgive Labour MPs for clutching at straws on a day when a poll puts then 20 points behind in the polls.

Tom Harris can be forgiven to try to get an apology about a description attributed to the  Prime Minister, even though we know many of his colleagues want him to go. Go and check Labour MPs websites – Brown doesn’t feature too heavily… are they ashamed of him I wonder?

But lets not focus on personality, lets focus on issues. Lets take one I know a little about. Say the Post Office. Tom you care about the Post Office it seems. You even took the trouble to table an EDM on the subject didn’t you. 

But Tom, can you tell us how many Post Offices there were in 1997 when the Labour party came to power and how many there are now? Tom please tell us how many have shut their doors on Labour’s watch? And how many Labour MPs voted against the previous closure programme (Urban reinvention) which used taxpayers money to pay post offices compensation to shut?

You see, this is a political issue, not about personality. I thought I would play the ball not the man. And on this issue Tom, perhaps the Labour party would like to apologise? Are they sorry that under a Labour Government the Post Office Network hasn’t just been decimated. Over 40% of branches have gone!

Where’s the apology from this Government?

And there go another 70000 votes

Today the HBOS part of Lloyds Banking group announced a loss of £10 Billion, while the Lloyds TSB part of the group expected to make a profit of £1.3 Billion. With share prices plunging, one wonder what’s going through the mind of the rank and file Lloyds TSB workers at the moment.
 
Let’s look at the position of this business only a few months ago. As the credit crunch took hold, it was generally felt that Lloyds TSB were sitting pretty and smugly having been cautious with lending, and being in a good position to see the recession through. It had avoided the poisoned chalice of Northern Rock and if it played its cards right, could come out of the other end in a very good position.
 
Then came along Gordon Brown. His political shacking up of the business with HBOS under the complicit supervision of Lloyds TSB CEO Eric Daniels has transformed the business. Now Lloyds TSB resembles Sir Paul McCartney landed with a demanding and expensive wife.
 
So what must the staff make of this? As I have a relative who’s a Lloyds employee, I have a little insight. They are furious. Why?, well the banks have a practice of tying there employees down with share options. It’s possibly the only way they can retain staff in such a grim sales driven environment. They’re seeing the shares they’ve saved up for over many years crash. Not simply due to the recession, but the crass decision made by their CEO and sold to him by Gordon Brown.
 
At least they have a chance to vent their fury within the next 15 months.

I'm not invited… but wonder why?

Cancer Research seem to be spending lots of money advertising their Race For life for 2009. It has always interested me as to the reasons why men are excluded for taking part.

First of all I thought well it could be just for breast cancer. But evenif it was, men can also get breast cancer, and even if they don’t they will know of someone who has suffered which would give them the incentive to take part. 

But it isn’t just for Breast Cancer, so I got in touch to see why 50% of the population are activeyly excluded from taking part in such a worthy event.

Their press office responded as follows:-

To answer your question please let me clarify that although it is a women-only event, Race for Life does not raise money solely for research into breast cancer.  As Cancer Research UK’s biggest fundraising initiative, every pound secured through Race for Life participant fundraising goes directly towards funding our team of over 4,250 doctors, nurses and scientists across the UK and our collective vision to beat all types of cancer.

Cancer Research UK’s Race for Life series is only for women because that is what our participants tell us they want.  It is one of our most successful initiatives because it is a unique opportunity for all women, of every age, shape and size, to come together to simply walk, jog or run 5k and raise money in a non-competitive and celebratory environment.

However, Race for Life does have many male supporters who volunteer by helping as organisers on the day, cheering on those participating and sponsoring the women in their life to take part.

Now it isn’t a big thing….. but saying that’s what your participants want is like saying thatthe Carlton Club remained a male preserve for so lon, because that’s what the male members wanted. You haven’t bothered to see whether men would like to take part?

And well, if I want to get involved I can cheer someone on? OK yes I coudl – but perhaps I would like to take an eactive part in doing something good, rather than sit on my backside doing nothing. Shouldn’t a charity encourage that?

I hope Race for Life is a great success and it undoubtedly will be, but it could be even bigger if men were allowed to take part.  

As for me, I will be doing the London Marathon for St John Ambulance who accept men women or indeed anyone over the age of 18.

And I take donations from either sex!

Shocking discovery!

Last week some little sods chucked a huge piece of ice/snow at a neighbours shed at which point I politely (not that politely) told them to bugger off after having though my garage would be good for target practice.

Tonight I hear a massive thump against the window, and milli  seconds after the impact I’m off out the front door having a go at the three youngsters walking away.

Initially it was – "It wasn’t me Mr", to "Sorry it was an accident".

It is probably one of my biggest gripes that these days no one seems to respect others property anymore, so I say that how would they like me to not only boll*** them, but go and hand out a boll*****g to their parents.

I do no more than walk down the street (as I have a good idea where they lived), just to see if they are scared that I might go and see their parents.

While I was walking down the road my wife comes out and tells them much more politely that we just don’t want stuff chucked at our window – and they say in shock that they didn’t know WE knew were they lived.

I didn’t bother going to their parents and walk back to my house at which point they apologise again, which is all I wanted.

I come back in side and realise something very very shocking has happened.

I have become my dad!

One account crappy service

So it appears as though the lovely people at the One Account won’t be cutting their interest rates for poor old mortgage holders like me. Remind me who runs the one account – yes it’s RBS. And remind me who owns them.. yes us the taxpayer.

God I wish the reasury committee had given them an even harder time than they did today!

LabourList dissed

An amusing, but very accurate summary of the issues with LabourList.

Kerron Cross writes, "it seems like it is going to be a fatal combination of bland outpourings from Ministers combined with Tory-attack lines generated by Derek Draper and pals"

If that’s what Labour supporters are saying, it really is in trouble!!

Football Betting

If you are into Football Betting, then you could do no worse than visit this websiet to get the lowdown on Online Bookmakers.

Do you think Chelsea can still win the league even though they could only draw with Hull. Will Aston Villa be able to improve on their current third position. Will Liverpool now be able to take the title now they are top of the table or will it be Man Utd who will once again take the silverware back to Old Trafford.

If you are into Sports Betting then this is the website for you. So what are you waiting for!

In the world of the Magic Kingdom

Who says it’s a "Mickey Mouse" website?

Well they do say in the Magic Kingdom all your dreams can come true!