Fantastic to be in Birmingham for Conference this year!
Loved DC's speech - he's got it right for Britain. I don't envy him the enormous task of leading the nation - but we can't go on with Brown. It is all about character and understanding - he has a plan not a Gordon miracle cure. Who was it who believed he an put an end to boom and bust? Who was it who spent our money and borrowed in good times and has left the cupboard bare? Who wasted money on education and health, only to see the outcomes worsen? Who has taken the Great out of Britain?

I went to the reporting of the consultation on hospital reorganisation in Bexley, Bromley, Greenwich and Lewisham today. My what you can do with statistics - a major worry was that a very large group of people responding to the survey were older than expected.....what do you expect when the surveys were available for collection in surgeries, dentists, pharmacies and libraries? was there any cross correlation with the expected ages of users of these services? I think not. I can see why blood is boiling in Bexley and Sidcup over the downgrading of services at the Queen Mary. The consultation was described as a stitch up by one local resident and it looks - as is the case in so many areas - that the decision has been taken already. The decision is due before the Parliamentary recess.

I hear that dear Boris is thinking of relocating the world's busiest airport to the Thames Gateway. Given that the planning inquiry for T5 took over 5 years, we can probably rest easy.

Momentous times in which we live - last time I blogged, even I could not imagine that we would see 20 point leads in opinion polls (and anyone who knows me will tell you that I can be extremely optimistic), Boris as Mayor of London and economic discomfort everywhere - does this feel like 1979 is coming all over again?

Glad to see that Gordon Brown reads my blog.....
At least he seems to be making the right noises about Tibet. Not as brave as M. Sarkozy in threatening to boycott the Beijing Opening Ceremony!
News that is coming from Tibet is being so heavily censored that it will be some time before we know the extent of the Chinese clampdown. having heard the Chinese spokesman in London (a cross between a new labour spinner and the old communists) speak only about Beijing and the effects of any boycott I heard the new world order rising. Are we taking any notice?

So what does Gordon think he is doing about Tibet? Erm...hesitate...hesitate...we will definitely be making a statement about whether we will be meeting the Dalai Lama.
China is subduing the biggest Tibetan uprising (also in the other related provinces) in at least 20 years and GB (in both senses) is doing nothing.
A man of principle, Malcolm Rifkind, was absolutely spot on when he made his comments on the Today Programme - the Dalai Lama is today's Nelson Mandela.

I want to know how many Dalai Lama Student Union bars are there? How many protests supporting this man and his people of peace? The answer - not many! The reason - China is a communist country and the left in Britain still cannot condemn the behaviour of their comrades. We will promote International Human Rights they said?
As long as they are the rights of those subjugated by left wing comrades - then they do not exist and New Labour will roll over. It's not just about the global economy.....

Sorry to anyone in cyberspace reading my blog - I had a technical hitch with my passwords - nuff said!

I've seen it all....the election that wasn't, the Northern Rock debacle and now 25m people's data lost in the post.
How can Brown escape the charge this time that he was in charge and his competence is in question? I hope the British people can see New Labour for what it is - a group of career politicians, unfit to run a jumble sale let alone a country. They've finally blown it haven't they? I think so and You Gov implies it with 41% / 32% - roll on the election is all I can say.

(Oh, and by the way, is your data on the above discs? My tiny son will be watching for fraudulent activity using his data for the next few decades.....)