The Smoking Ban in England, A few Questions

The smoking ban in England commences on the 1st July. The intention of the ban is to stop all smoking in enclosed public spaces to prevent the risks of passive smoking. With that in mind, I would like to ask a few questions: 1) Most companies employing smokers have had a smoking room fitted out with air filtration and ventilation to the open air. Non-smokers did not enter those rooms and therefore were not breathing in second hand smoke. Where was the passive smoking risk? 2) Air ports spent thousands of pounds building smoking booths that were totally enclosed and surrounded with filtration units. Again non-smokers did not enter those booths. Where was the passive smoking risk? 3) Now smokers must stand outside their places of work (even though there are perfectly safe rooms inside). Why are the shelters that can be erected for smokers, regulated to make them open to the environment (no front or sides) when non-smokers will not enter them? Where is the passive smoking risk? 4) Why can we not smoke in our homes if a council worker visits? (you MUST not smoke up to 30 minutes before they arrive) surely your home is not a public space? 5) If this is all about preventing passive smoking, why are anti-smoking campaigners trying to get smoking banned outside public buildings, when there is not a risk to non-smokers? 6) Why are privately own pubs, restaurants and private members clubs classed as public spaces? Absolutely no one is forced into them, nor do they need to enter them to gain access to a necessary public service. The people who work in these areas do so out of free will, I work in a dangerous environment and I do so out of free will. 7) In the last election the government promised to ban smoking only in those places that sold food. They have gone back on that promise, just like their promise to hold a referendum on the EU Treaty. They have lied to us and then they have rode roughshod over our civil liberties. The BMA have started to make noises about alcohol consumption, is that next for a ban? 8) How do you feel about your civil liberties? how free do you feel now? how free do you think you will feel in ten years time when you are constantly monitored by CCTV, your car and even your rubbish bin is chipped and you carry an ID Card with ALL your details on it? How free will you feel?

Tony Blair Steps Down as Prime Minister Poem

Ten years gone and it started so well Is there a legacy? only time will tell He gave hope and money to the poor masses Too many stayed at home, sat on their asses With words and smiles he beat the Tories And then took us to war on intelligence stories In Baghdad our troops were welcomed with cheers and songs Before too long they were dodging bullets and bombs Hospitals got dirty and the prisons were brimming The bright lights of labour were steadily dimming Boys on our streets with asbos and tags Teenage girls with full stomachs taking drags on their fags They taxed for this and they taxed for that Where was the tax from the city fat cat? Gold should have been sold when the price hit the ceiling It was sold at rock bottom and we were left reeling Tony steps down to be replaced by his ex-mate Gordon the man with no vote or mandate Who will shed tears? only a few Tony will be back, as president of the EU

Quentin Davies Joins the Labour Party

Quentin Davies the pro-EU, left leaning, Tory MP, has defected to the Labour Party. I think he does not like the way the conservatives are going i.e pushing for a referendum on the so called EU Treaty (Constitution), Oh dear, how sad, never mind. In his letter to Cameron he said: Under your leadership the Conservative Party appears to me to have ceased collectively to believe in anything, or to stand for anything. It has no bedrock. It exists on shifting sands. A sense of mission has been replaced by a PR agenda. Unfortunately he's not far from the truth. Dave needs to grab at least two policies by the scruff of the neck and force them down the media's throat. If he doesn't make a stand soon, he could find himself out of a job.

The Big Red Book of New Labour Sleaze

The Big Red Book of New Labour Sleaze will be available from the 27/06/07. However you can pre-order it by clicking on the graphic above at a reduced price of £8.49 ( Normally £9.99). The first edition of this book was one of the first ever written by a collection of internet bloggers. Iain Dale and Guido Fawkes run two of Britain's most read political blogs and they invited their fellow bloggers and blog readers to contribute to the book, which details more than 140 instances of New Labour sleaze since 1997 - cronyism, nepotism, sex, money, drugs - you name it, New Labour have been at it. Charting the fall of New Labour, from the heights of the 1997 election victory to the depths of John Prescott's diary secretary, the book has now been fully updated to include even more sleaze: - Peter Mandelson's Mortgages - Ron Davies's 'Moment of Madness' - David Blunkett and Nannygate - Bernie Ecclestone's Donation - Loans for Lordships - John Prescott's Cocktail Sausage - Lord Irvine's Wallpaper - Margaret Beckett's Air Miles - Cherie Blair's Freebie Holidays - Tessa Jowell's Mortgages - The Dodgy Dossier - Stephen Byers - Jo Moore Burying Bad News - Derek Draper and Lobbygate - Badger Watching with Ron Davies - Cherie Blair Signing the Hutton Report - Gordon Brown and the Smith Institute - Cherie Blair's 'lecture' tours - Gordon Brown’s Spinning Addiction And many more...

VOTE: Should we have a national referendum on the EU Treaty?

Bertie Ahern the Irish premier has promised his country a referendum on the new EU Treaty. Mr Ahern believes that the Treaty contains 90% of the original constitution, and that signing up to the Treaty should be the peoples decision. In the last election campaign Tony Blair said: “We don’t know what is going to happen in France, but we will have a referendum on the Constitution in any event — and that is a Government promise.” Now Mr Blair is saying: “There was no tradition of holding votes on treaties. If it's not a constitutional treaty, so that it alters the basic relationship between Europe and the member states, then there isn't the same case for a referendum." Shadow Foreign Secretary William Hague said: "What he (Mr Blair) is saying now sounds suspiciously like an attempt to introduce elements of it (EU Constitution) by the back door, despite its decisive rejection by the voters of France and Holland. This would go against the government's previous assurances and be totally unacceptable to the people of Britain." Q. Should we have a national referendum on the EU Treaty? Click: HERE to vote. (The results are archived by the British Library)

The Twelfth Magical Mystery Blog Tour Bus Leaves in 5 Minutes!

Got some time to kill but don't know where to go? Why don't you climb aboard the Magical Mystery Blog Tour Bus. There are still a few places left. Click on STOP 1 and the Bus will take you to your first Mystery Blog location. To get back on the Bus just click the Back Button and click STOP 2 to continue the Tour. I think you can work the rest out. Enjoy the ride. STOP 1 STOP 2 STOP 3 STOP 4 (Strong Language) STOP 5