Today I launched my pamphlet, Lost labours, with Nick Clegg.

As somebody who has a long involvement with the Labour party, including editing the New Statesman magazine, I have been able to give a frank and honest appraisal of a decade and a half of New Labour. And in it I explain why I can no longer support them, and am instead turning to the Liberal Democrats. You can read a more condensed version in an article I wrote for the Guardianhere.

Alongside one million other voters, I deserted Labour in 2005 in protest at Iraq in favour of the Liberal Democrats, the only party to oppose the war. My decision to back the Lib Dems in 2010 is based in a more fundamental appraisal of Labour’s record together with a positive assessment of the Liberal Democrats’ platform.

RURAL AFFAIRS AND ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE
AGENDA
4th Meeting, 2010 (Session 3)
Tuesday 23 February 2010
The Committee will meet at 1.30 pm in Weigh Inn Hotel, Thurso, Caithness

Public Petitions Committee Official Report 9 February 2010

Public Audit Committee Official Report 10 February 2010

Education, Lifelong Learning and Culture Committee Official Report 10 February 2010

Economy, Energy and Tourism Committee Official Report 10 February 2010

Helping the emergency services to save the lives of at-risk rural patients

Over the past few weeks R8YourPolitician has been aware of potentially damaging allegations and accusations that were brought to our attention by citizens regarding senior members of the DUP.  

When we first came across the alarming statements we put them to the side as the usual Mourne Mountain fairy dust sprinkled lies aimed at spreading rumors and slandering public servants which is very common there is at least one a week from each political background.  We regularly get political rivals, political foot soldiers trying to slander the political opponents and use R8YourPolitician platform to push their ludicrous claims.

One of the sources came to us weeks before the Iris Robinson scandal, weeks before the media got any sniff of it.  However unlike the Iris Robinson saga we could not verify the claims and so refused to push it.  Weeks later when it all broke in the media the source came back saying "told you so".  

So when this source came forward again with these new revelations set to rock the DUP, revelations that have nothing to do with Peter or Iris but other high profile public servants in the DUP we set out to see if there was any validity to these claims.  We tried to find other points of reference that could verify the claims being made.  Much to our surprise we were contacted via Skype from a citizen expressing extremely similar allegations regarding the same DUP member.  So now we have two citizens different parts of the country, different age groups and totally opposite in many ways coming through with the same revelations.  Further more scratching the surface it seems that there is definitely something brewing.  Two credible sources in our eyes validating the same story is starting to ring alarm bells that something is up.

Rural Affairs and Environment Committee Official Report 10 February 2010

Public Audit Committee Report

Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change Committee Official Report 9 February 2010

Local Government and Communities Committee Official Report 10 February 2010

Official Report 11 February 2010

11 February 2010 Forth Crossing Bill at Stage 1

Alcohol etc. (Scotland) Bill at Stage 1

Official Report 10 February 2010

THIS WEEK IN THE SCOTTISH PARLIAMENT

Summary

Week beginning – 8 February 2010

Official Report 4 February 2010

Scottish newspaper industry

The decision on Abdelbaset al-Megrahi

Official Report 3 February 2010

Tobacco and Primary Medical Services (Scotland) Bill

كثيرا من الحكومات في العالم تضع ضمن اولوياتها توفير الحماية لمواطنيها من اي هجوم ارهابي قد يتعرضون له، كما انها تسخر كافة امكانياتها المادية واجهزتها الامنية بكافة تشكيلاتها للحيلولة دون تعرضها لمثل هكذا هجومات ارهابية قد تؤدي بارواح مواطنيها والممتلكات العامة والخاصة، ويكون الجانب الاستخباراتي هو العامل الرئيس الذي تعتمد عليه الحكومات في العالم لكشف اي محاولات او نوايا لهجوم ارهابي يستهدفها داخل اراضيها.

Many governments around the world make it a priority to protect its citizens from any terrorist attack might be exposed, as they harness the full potential of physical and security apparatus in all configurations to prevent exposure to terrorist attacks like so may lead lives of citizens and public and private property, and have the intelligence is the main factor upon which governments in the world to detect any attempts or intentions of a terrorist attack target inside its territory.

Morning Mark

Open Question for you

You need to convince the public that climate change is happening and not just a reason to raise taxes. There is little if any proof that the global warming is anything other than what was going to happen anyway.

There have been many articles by respected authorities and scientists actually showing in the last 10 years the earth has ACTUALLY COOLED.

Globally what Britain does when China, Africa, Asia etc etc go unfettered is going to have such a minimal impact. 

Rate Mark Durkan

Letter was asked to Mark Durkan by John Davidson on Facebook 

R8YourPolitician (Rate Your Politician) is a newly established reputation based E-Democracy rating platform for the public to rate and review Politicians.  It is an innovative new E-Democracy web platform that engages and empowers ordinary citizens through effective use of Internet technology.  Citizens can actively take part in rating politicians on a scale of 1 – 5 and leave a review.  Citizens can also put forward topics and questions for Polls.  Citizens no longer have to wait to the next election let Politicians know how they feel, they can now contribute to a Politicians reputation on a daily basis 24 hrs a day 7 days a week.  As Politicians are debating in Parliament or talking on the news citizens can be rating them and leaving a review.     Constant engagement and real time rating can now be integrated into daily political life.  Opinion polls are mentioned every week in the newspapers and the media.  The media does not tell you that these polls can range from a few hundred pounds to almost £12,000 per poll, possibly more how many citizens have that kind of money to spend on a Poll.  On the R8 Your Politician website citizens can put forward topics and questions for Polls and we can run them scientifically so that they can be used to support issues and causes that citizens are involved in.  That empowers not just citizens but the many pressure groups and community groups across the country that lobbies government; they can now have opinion polls to support their campaign and cause while they are rating their politicians.

What is Social Media?

Here is some definitions;

1 : A category of sites that is based on user participation and user-generated content. They include social networking sites like LinkedIn or Facebook, social bookmarking sites like Del.icio.us, social news sites like Digg or Reddit, and other sites that are centered on user interaction.

Source

2 : Online technologies and practices that people use to share opinions, insights, experiences, and perspectives with each other.

Source

3 : An umbrella term that defines the various activities that integrate technology, social interaction, and the construction of words and pictures.  This interaction, and the manner in which information is presented, depends on the varied perspectives and "building" of shared meaning, as peoples share their stories, and understandings.

Source

I came across this video which prompted me to write this article.  The video is titled "Social Media in plain English"..................

R8 Your Politician would like to take this opportunity to make Politicians aware that this website is here for them just as much as it is here for the public.

R8 Your Politician welcomes feedback from Politicians on how to better improve the website content and quality.  Politicians are invited and welcomed to submit articles for publication on the site and request changes and updates to their profiles and rating pages.  If you have an important issue or piece of legislation you are trying to create awareness about please send us the articles.

R8 Your Politician also welcomes and invites all Politicians to record and submit a short video so that we can add it to your public profile.

Politicians make sure we have all your official, updated profile information.  Emails will be sent to all Politicians asking for profile information.  Make sure to include links to everything you want added.  Blog links, Website links, Twitter & Facebook links. 

Lastly Politicians spread the word amongst your colleagues in your party.  Encourage your constituents to engage, rate you and leave a review of your work.

UK poll: Afghan war is ‘unwinnable’

 All hail Diana Rusk! Diana is a Journalist for Belfast’s Irish News, yesterday she wrote an article which I must say inspired me. The title of the article was The Practice of burying bad news is ‘alive and well’.  

What was Diana referring to or implying one may ask? It’s quite simple Diana is merely exposing the Government practice of releasing sensitive information otherwise known as bad news on a busy news day. 

Diana disclosed how it was 4pm on the last day of the assembly before the summer recess and on the day of a high profile murder case where the murderers of Harry Holland were being sentenced.

 After more revalations regarding Politicians Expenses the latest Politician to make the headlines is the DUPs Jeffrey Donaldson. It has been revealed that the Lagan Valley MP racked up £555.54 movie bill in various London Hotels between 2004 and 2005. Unlike other M.Ps it thus far hasnt been proved that it was of the Pornographic kind. 

This will come as a bitter blow to the DUP after Ian Jnrs latest slip up. Jim Nicholson must be rubbing his hands with glee as the DUP is caught up in scandal after scandal.

 A member has asked R8 Your Politician could they nominate Tom Elliott MLA for Politician of the Month.  R8 your Politician were not considering starting the Politician of the month section until we had a resaonable size of Politicians on board.  

However this evening while browsing Twitter, infact when responding to a tweet from Sadiq Khan MP.  The link to Mr Elliott's profile was sent to Mr Khan as an example of a Politician who has endorsed his profile.  

Then when browsing Mr Elliotts profile I noticed on his latest twitter feed a message to his constitutients asking them to "Please let me know how you think I am doing - " 

First of all congratulations to Naomi Long on her new appointment as the new Lord Mayor of Belfast although it’s a pity it were not in different circumstances.  We have all heard the old saying that only women can multi-task, it’s sad to see that Naomi is a firm believer in this.

After the recent public outcry in regards to Politicians expenses which hasn’t gone away you know, and multi-jobbing in Northern Ireland one must question Naomi Longs decision to accept this post.

This year marks the 30^th Anniversary of the Northern Ireland Youth Forum, and today there was great excitement when they got a visit from Northern Ireland’s first minister Peter Robinson.

Official Report 4 February 2010

Some people have asked "Whats the story behind the R8 Your Politician song?"

I had met this guy with his daughter he had noticed the R8 Your Politician T-Shirt and said I like your T-Shirt.  I proceeded to explain the logo on the T-Shirt was the same logo in the website.  

I explained about the website allowing the public to rate politicians and engage with politicians.

The singer said if you give me one of those T-Shirts I will write you a song and sing it for you.  To which I replied sure.

click on read more to listen to the song ( raw unedited )

The Polls for Europe will open in 7 hours.  People from all over Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales and England will be out to exercise their democratic right.

Voting is at the heart of the democratic system, its the electorate that have the real power.  If a politican or political parties is not doing the job right then its up to the people at times like today to stand up and exercise their democratic right.

7

Northern Ireland: Amnesty makes Bill of Rights call to United Nations