It is now illegal to obstruct emergency workers and you can now be fined £5000.
Anyone who wilfully gets in the way of firefighters, ambulance crews, coastguards or lifeboat crews could faces charges.
Home Office minister Gerry Sutcliffe said "Such behaviour will not be tolerated, and deliberate attempts to prevent emergency workers from doing their jobs will face a stiff penalty."
Wake up and get real you blockhead.
In the majority of cases, it is firefighters who are attacked.
Quite often they are pelted with stones by gangs of children between the ages of 8 to 14, usually on estates where the only person likely to know what £5000 looks like is the local drugs dealer.
Wake up and get real you blockhead.
Saturday, 24 February 2007
Friday, 23 February 2007
Higher tax for homes enjoying peace and quiet
Plans to hit thousands of home owners with higher council tax penalties because their houses enjoy pleasant views and 'peace and quiet' have been discovered.
Shadow Local Government Secretary Caroline Spelman has accused Gordon Brown of converting council tax into a cynical and punishing tax on the quality of life. "Council tax is literally becoming a tax on a civilised society, with the extra funds raised from taxing nice neighbourhoods being 'redistributed' away to Gordon Brown's coffers.
Repeated denials that the Chancellor is planning to tax nice neighbourhoods in the forthcoming council tax revaluation in England have been discredited by controversial new documents exposed by the Conservatives, who have forced the Valuation Office Agency - an arm of HM Revenue & Customs - to publish the internal handbook they used in the controversial 2005 council tax revaluation in Wales.
The secret manuals, never before placed in the public domain, reveal that many homes with features like being near shops and public transport, with pleasant views or with "peace and quiet", were penalised with higher council tax bills. Building on the experience in Wales, the Treasury has rolled out an even more sophisticated neighbourhood tax in Northern Ireland for this April's revaluation, with plans for the system to be used comprehensively in the looming council tax revaluation in England.
The official taxmen's manual shows that as a pilot for the new neighbourhood tax system, mobile and park homes were given higher council tax bills for features such as "convenience of public transport facilities", "peace and quiet", "shop providing basic groceries", "pleasant views" and "good security".
And revaluation documents for all homes in the exercise reveal that kitchen units, bathrooms suites, double glazing and central heating were recorded by inspectors to help drive up bills - especially if the homes were on the cusp of a higher council tax band.
Commenting, Mrs Spelman said: "This is proof that Gordon Brown has turned council tax into a punishing and cynical tax on people's quality of life, by increasing council tax bills if you live near shops, near a bus stop, or live in a neighbourhood with peace and quiet. It is no wonder that the revaluation in Wales forced council tax bills to soar for so many homes. Northern Ireland is facing the same treatment from April, and I fear England and Scotland will follow."
She declared: "It is deeply worrying that householders had to fill in intrusive questionnaires about every aspect of their property, with the veiled threat of a compulsory inspection of their private home if they resisted. The only reason the tax inspectors want this information is to tax home improvements, even though people have already paid income tax and VAT to pay for doing up their home."
Mrs Spelman stated: "Council tax is literally becoming a tax on a civilised society, with the extra funds raised from taxing nice neighbourhoods being 'redistributed' away to Gordon Brown's coffers. This is the hallmark of an oppressive and greedy government - finding ever more stealthy ways to tax working families and pensioners, and trampling over privacy when it suits Labour Ministers."
Shadow Local Government Secretary Caroline Spelman has accused Gordon Brown of converting council tax into a cynical and punishing tax on the quality of life. "Council tax is literally becoming a tax on a civilised society, with the extra funds raised from taxing nice neighbourhoods being 'redistributed' away to Gordon Brown's coffers.
Repeated denials that the Chancellor is planning to tax nice neighbourhoods in the forthcoming council tax revaluation in England have been discredited by controversial new documents exposed by the Conservatives, who have forced the Valuation Office Agency - an arm of HM Revenue & Customs - to publish the internal handbook they used in the controversial 2005 council tax revaluation in Wales.
The secret manuals, never before placed in the public domain, reveal that many homes with features like being near shops and public transport, with pleasant views or with "peace and quiet", were penalised with higher council tax bills. Building on the experience in Wales, the Treasury has rolled out an even more sophisticated neighbourhood tax in Northern Ireland for this April's revaluation, with plans for the system to be used comprehensively in the looming council tax revaluation in England.
The official taxmen's manual shows that as a pilot for the new neighbourhood tax system, mobile and park homes were given higher council tax bills for features such as "convenience of public transport facilities", "peace and quiet", "shop providing basic groceries", "pleasant views" and "good security".
And revaluation documents for all homes in the exercise reveal that kitchen units, bathrooms suites, double glazing and central heating were recorded by inspectors to help drive up bills - especially if the homes were on the cusp of a higher council tax band.
Commenting, Mrs Spelman said: "This is proof that Gordon Brown has turned council tax into a punishing and cynical tax on people's quality of life, by increasing council tax bills if you live near shops, near a bus stop, or live in a neighbourhood with peace and quiet. It is no wonder that the revaluation in Wales forced council tax bills to soar for so many homes. Northern Ireland is facing the same treatment from April, and I fear England and Scotland will follow."
She declared: "It is deeply worrying that householders had to fill in intrusive questionnaires about every aspect of their property, with the veiled threat of a compulsory inspection of their private home if they resisted. The only reason the tax inspectors want this information is to tax home improvements, even though people have already paid income tax and VAT to pay for doing up their home."
Mrs Spelman stated: "Council tax is literally becoming a tax on a civilised society, with the extra funds raised from taxing nice neighbourhoods being 'redistributed' away to Gordon Brown's coffers. This is the hallmark of an oppressive and greedy government - finding ever more stealthy ways to tax working families and pensioners, and trampling over privacy when it suits Labour Ministers."
Wednesday, 21 February 2007
Yet More Town Hall Taliban
Government gets tough on Software Compliance
Trading standards officers will soon have powers to check companies’ software licences without warning.
The Federation Against Software Theft (Fast) has welcomed an announcement by trade and industry minister Malcolm Wicks that from 6 April new powers under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act will now be at the disposal of Trading Standards.
Should this be funded by the likes of Bill Gates and Adobe?
Why should we be paying for these already mega rich companies to get even richer?
Yet another Law and even more intrusion.
Trading standards officers will soon have powers to check companies’ software licences without warning.
The Federation Against Software Theft (Fast) has welcomed an announcement by trade and industry minister Malcolm Wicks that from 6 April new powers under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act will now be at the disposal of Trading Standards.
Should this be funded by the likes of Bill Gates and Adobe?
Why should we be paying for these already mega rich companies to get even richer?
Yet another Law and even more intrusion.
Jack "I'm in Charge" Straw
Understand that Jack Straw wanted to present four proposals to Parliament for the modernisation (closure) of the House of Lords.
Because the last attempt was booted out by MP's the cunning Jack invented a new method of voting.
Basically, whichever way MP's would vote would give Jack the result he wanted.
Needless to say MP's give this idea very short shrift.
The last two people I can think of who operated this way were Adolph Hitler and Josef Stalin.
Don't worry Jack, come the revolution your name is in the little book and your space against the wall is reserved.
Because the last attempt was booted out by MP's the cunning Jack invented a new method of voting.
Basically, whichever way MP's would vote would give Jack the result he wanted.
Needless to say MP's give this idea very short shrift.
The last two people I can think of who operated this way were Adolph Hitler and Josef Stalin.
Don't worry Jack, come the revolution your name is in the little book and your space against the wall is reserved.
Minister calls for improvements to mental health services for BME patients
Rosie Winterton, MP, today called for "rapid improvement in the way mental health services respond to the needs of BME patients".
Launching 'Positive Steps' a new resource for health professionals at the Delivering Race Equality in Mental Healthcare (DRE) Conference in Coventry, the Minister of State for Health Services said:
"One in five people treated in hospital for a mental health problem comes from a black and minority ethnic background. Although some of the reasons for this - such as social exclusion - cannot be tackled by the NHS in isolation, we still have a moral and legal duty to do more.
Well done girlie, now what about the other four out of five?
Launching 'Positive Steps' a new resource for health professionals at the Delivering Race Equality in Mental Healthcare (DRE) Conference in Coventry, the Minister of State for Health Services said:
"One in five people treated in hospital for a mental health problem comes from a black and minority ethnic background. Although some of the reasons for this - such as social exclusion - cannot be tackled by the NHS in isolation, we still have a moral and legal duty to do more.
Well done girlie, now what about the other four out of five?
Saturday, 17 February 2007
In Control (Not)
Whilst Labour bring in more laws than Hitler and Stalin restricting the liberty of the private individual they are still afraid to tackle business.
UK waste packaging has increased by 12% since Blair and his cronies came to power now they threaten the individual with yet another tax in trying to dispose of it.
UK waste packaging has increased by 12% since Blair and his cronies came to power now they threaten the individual with yet another tax in trying to dispose of it.
Friday, 16 February 2007
Government's nuclear consultations deceitful
The court ruling that the Government's pre-decision consultation on nuclear power was "seriously flawed" and "procedurally unfair", the Shadow Trade and Industry Secretary said: "This is an astonishing ruling. What it really says is that the Government has been shown up as fundamentally deceitful."
Town Hall Taliban
After the Government provided almost £30 million to pay for an army of inspectors to patrol bars, restaurants and shops and impose on-the-spot fines on smokers from July 1, Given there is going to be a ban on smoking in public places, we accept there is a need for some form of enforcement against flagrant breaches by commercial premises.
Yet these proposed heavy-handed surveillance and zealous inspections look like a wholly disproportionate response - a municipal sledgehammer to crack a nut.
With the scheme following hard on the heels of Government plans to hire thousands of "bin police" to look into wheelie bins and administer new rubbish taxes, and for taxmen to enter people's homes to inspect their home improvements for the forthcoming council tax revaluation, the Shadow Minister for Local Government, said: "People want their council tax to be used to clean the streets, collect their rubbish and keep the streets safe. They don't want it spent on bankrolling a town hall Taliban."
Under the smoking crackdown, inspectors will be able to enter almost all enclosed public places including offices, factories, pubs and bars, and even photograph and film people. Business owners have a duty to ensure their customers comply with the ban, and will be liable for £200 fines if proper signs are not displayed. Refusal to enforce the ban on premises could result in fines of up to £2,500. Local authorities have been given responsibility for enforcing the ban because of existing pressure son police time.
Yet these proposed heavy-handed surveillance and zealous inspections look like a wholly disproportionate response - a municipal sledgehammer to crack a nut.
With the scheme following hard on the heels of Government plans to hire thousands of "bin police" to look into wheelie bins and administer new rubbish taxes, and for taxmen to enter people's homes to inspect their home improvements for the forthcoming council tax revaluation, the Shadow Minister for Local Government, said: "People want their council tax to be used to clean the streets, collect their rubbish and keep the streets safe. They don't want it spent on bankrolling a town hall Taliban."
Under the smoking crackdown, inspectors will be able to enter almost all enclosed public places including offices, factories, pubs and bars, and even photograph and film people. Business owners have a duty to ensure their customers comply with the ban, and will be liable for £200 fines if proper signs are not displayed. Refusal to enforce the ban on premises could result in fines of up to £2,500. Local authorities have been given responsibility for enforcing the ban because of existing pressure son police time.
Wednesday, 14 February 2007
Labour's Nanny State
Douglas Alexander announces consultation on smoking restrictions on vessels
Douglas Alexander today launched a consultation on smoking restrictions to be introduced on sea-going and inland waterway vessels operating in UK waters.
How are they going to police this?
Yet another useless piece of unenforceable legislation
Douglas Alexander today launched a consultation on smoking restrictions to be introduced on sea-going and inland waterway vessels operating in UK waters.
How are they going to police this?
Yet another useless piece of unenforceable legislation
Monday, 12 February 2007
David Cameron Drugs Scandal
For once, most MP's are speaking with one voice, namely:-
What happened before they entered Public Life should remain private.
Nice to hear, boys and girls.
Could this be a bit of professionalism at last or are they frightened of things getting a little too close to home?
Lets hope it's professionalism (for once)
What happened before they entered Public Life should remain private.
Nice to hear, boys and girls.
Could this be a bit of professionalism at last or are they frightened of things getting a little too close to home?
Lets hope it's professionalism (for once)
Thursday, 8 February 2007
Yet another Lame Labour Duck
New advisory unit for Fire & Rescue Service to be set up
A new unit to provide Ministers and civil servants with independent professional advice on fire and rescue issues is to be set up. The new unit will be headed by a new post, Chief Fire and Rescue Adviser, announced Fire Minister Angela Smith today.
Did not even know that we had a "Fire Minister" do we need one? or is this Blair inventing jobs for his cronies again?
Fire Minister Angela Smith said:
"The new unit and the position of Chief Fire and Rescue Adviser are very important - not only to Fire Ministers and government but also to the fire and rescue service. We are determined that the new unit will be set up so that it can offer the very best advice."
Strange, when did I last hear a fireman say we must have a Chief Fire and Rescue Adviser on a six figure salary to help me do my job better.
No doubt it will be filled by someone who tells it just like Labour want to hear it, such as Regional Control Centres are great.
A new unit to provide Ministers and civil servants with independent professional advice on fire and rescue issues is to be set up. The new unit will be headed by a new post, Chief Fire and Rescue Adviser, announced Fire Minister Angela Smith today.
Did not even know that we had a "Fire Minister" do we need one? or is this Blair inventing jobs for his cronies again?
Fire Minister Angela Smith said:
"The new unit and the position of Chief Fire and Rescue Adviser are very important - not only to Fire Ministers and government but also to the fire and rescue service. We are determined that the new unit will be set up so that it can offer the very best advice."
Strange, when did I last hear a fireman say we must have a Chief Fire and Rescue Adviser on a six figure salary to help me do my job better.
No doubt it will be filled by someone who tells it just like Labour want to hear it, such as Regional Control Centres are great.
Friday, 2 February 2007
Thursday, 1 February 2007
Blair Henchman Arrested, Again!
Tony's insidious money man, Lord Levy has had his collar felt again.
The latest revelation is that police spoke to Blair late last week but kept quiet because they did not want Levy to know that they have spoken to Blair.
If Blair did not phone Levy does this mean he is now grassing him up in an effort to save his own skin!!!!
I thought things were bad in the Blair household, what with Jaws 2, (his wife) filling her pockets with cash from any source possible.
No honour amongst thieves comes to mind!!!
The latest revelation is that police spoke to Blair late last week but kept quiet because they did not want Levy to know that they have spoken to Blair.
If Blair did not phone Levy does this mean he is now grassing him up in an effort to save his own skin!!!!
I thought things were bad in the Blair household, what with Jaws 2, (his wife) filling her pockets with cash from any source possible.
No honour amongst thieves comes to mind!!!
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