Headlines you don't want to read if you're a Tory, Pt.III

Cameron attacked over ‘broken promise’ after fall in NHS budget

in The Times here (£)

Oops, there goes the key plank of their detoxification strategy...

My letter on policing published in The Times

My letter on policing published in The Times today:

Sir, The resignation of Sir Paul Stephenson will sadly not be the panacea he and many others hope for. The Met seems to have problems throughout the ranks. Many examples of poor performance at the lower ranks are compounded by flawed managerial and leadership decisions, as shown by the phone-hacking case.

Stronger, more intelligent leadership is now required, and this could be achieved via an “officer corps” of university-educated officers. The Armed Forces have officer corps and in virtually all other parts of working life, a degree is a prerequisite. It is time to drag the Police Service into the modern age.

John Slinger


It can be read here (PAY WALL)

Pragmatic Radicalism pamphlet launched this evening

The pamphlet I've edited with the able help of Jonathan Todd, is launching tonight at an event in the House of Commons featuring Ed Miliband's adviser Lord Wood and Shadow Minister Luciana Berger.

More details at www.pragmaticradicalism.com.

Anyone who wants to come along, please email me at john.slinger@pragmaticradicalism.co.uk. It's in Committee Room 21 at 6.30-8.00pm.

Headlines you don't want to see if you're in No 10 - part III

David Cameron is in the sewer because of his News International friends

By the Chief Political Commentator of The Daily Telegraph, Peter Oborne, no less. Oborne writes today:

The series of disgusting revelations concerning his friends and associates from Rupert Murdoch’s News International has permanently and irrevocably damaged his reputation.

The killer blows come here:

Until now it has been easy to argue that Mr Cameron was properly grounded with a decent set of values. Unfortunately, it is impossible to make that assertion any longer. He has made not one, but a long succession of chronic personal misjudgments.


He should never have employed Andy Coulson, the News of the World editor, as his director of communications. He should never have cultivated Rupert Murdoch. And – the worst mistake of all – he should never have allowed himself to become a close friend of Rebekah Brooks, the chief executive of the media giant News International, whose departure from that company in shame and disgrace can only be a matter of time.

It's official, artificial intelligence kind of likes Ed Miliband but not Dave Cameron and mistook Nick Clegg for country music!

I was tipped off about clever artificial intelligence online robot, Cleverbot today. You can talk to it, and it replies using a database of people's previous answers - or as I prefer to believe, it actually is the world's first truly artificial intelligence. The reason I believe it actually is a new form of life, is it's uncanny knowledge of the UK political scene. It even seems unsure of who Ed Miliband is, seemingly confirming the recent poll showing that 23% of respondents confused Ed with brother David. Cleverbot also mistook Nick Clegg for "country music", which is an easy mistake to make.

Here is my exchanges with Cleverbot this evening:

***
Do you like Ed Miliband?

I don't understand.

Do you like the leader of the Labour Party?

Kind of.

Do you like David Cameron?

Not really.

Do you like Nick Clegg?


No. I don't like country music.