Origin North West

Yesterday, the chief justice set the burgled homeowner, Mr Hussain, previously written about, free but upheld the conviction. Some sense there, but a bit worrying that it takes a lot of publicity to get to that point in the judicial system.

Is the system right?  Sometimes judges seem a bit other-worldly, it might be that they should be appointed by election and that at trials one person doesn’t make the decision.

We start with the innocent being added to a DNA database. Move to a trial where the costs are astronomical and it might last for days. Then the judge might have had a bad night and put you away for years when another judge would tell you not to be a silly boy.

Add to that the original burglar in the case in question has claimed medical grounds to remain free, and it is rumoured has committed further offences since.

It can’t be perfect but there seem to be a lot of issues here and I’ve only scratched the surface.

The Cadbury board announced today that they would recommend the offer from Kraft. Although theoretically it’s not over till the shareholders agree.

Yet the offer includes quite a lot of Kraft shares. It isn’t clear that I’d want them. Even if overall there’s a big offer.

A smaller company has a lot more potential than a big one with no new ideas.  You could say the price takes that into account.

Overall this is a bad day for UK Ltd.  It’s aggravated by the purchaser not being one I have any empathy with.  Although it was suggested Hershey might take over Cadbury even though it’s a lot smaller.  That would also be an irritation.

Add it to the list of ICI, P&O, British Oxygen, Rolls Royce, Jaguar, Mini, Pilkington and so on.

This week a government committee issued a report issued saying the UK prison population should be drastically reduced to be more in line with other European countries.  Also that it will cost £4bn to create 10,000 more spaces or £400k a space.

From the data above reducing the population sounds an attractive idea.  But there is no explanation of why France and Germany have lower prisoner numbers. If it’s as unsuccessful as adapting European drinking laws in the UK then it might be a bad idea.  Do those countries have other more expensive ways of handling offenders or are they just a more decent lot?

The evidence in the UK doesn’t appear on the surface to warrant relaxing prison terms. Issues such as knife crime show no sign of going away. On that basis alone I’d support more prison places and an instant place should be offered to anyone doing so little as carrying a knife without very good reason.

That prisons are probably a place where people of similar mind can exchange ideas and offers no aspiration also means that reform is needed to the way prisoners are handled.  The unfortunate thing about that is the people who get involved in such exercises are usually too well meaning and tie themselves in knots trying to be politically correct. So it’s probably not going to happen.

Reading articles about school closures made me realise how complicated things have become in what seems the fairly straightforward subject of school attendance. Some schools are closed and others open and it doesn’t seem to depend purely on the weather. As a basic premise it might be thought that schools should be open whatever the weather.  It causes inconvenience beyond the school as well as sending out mixed messages to children and parents.  The more I thought about it the more I realised that it’s just the tip of the iceberg and came up with a few thoughts that it seems should be basics for schools.

Schools should be open whatever the weather and parents should know it is their decision as to whether their child attends.

Children should attend their nearest school and if they want to attend one further away it can only be done if that school has satisfied local need.

Schools should not be allowed to exclude or expel children or send them home, all children should be given every opportunity for education however difficult.

There should be zero tolerance of parents who intimidate teachers and it should not be possible to prosecute or take legal action against a teacher for action in the school.

Teachers should be innocent until proved guilty in all cases.

Several books can be written on this subject but that’s all for now.

The government are hurredly introducing body scanners at airports following the Detroit incident where a passenger carried explosive chemicals inside his underwear.  It’s planned to select passengers from profiling and signs of suspicious behaviour.

The government keep warning us about the threat of terrorists and that they are looking for ways round our security. So why is this panic happening with lots of questions unanswered?

Can’t say I’m happy about the opportunity of standing in front of a screen with my arms above my head while someone eyes up every detail of me. It has a feel of the Third Reich.

With the governments record on security of data how long will it be before passengers start appearing naked on the internet or on sale.  What if your neighbour is scanning you?  How long will it be stored and do they know who they are scanning?  There are a lot of potential snags with this although the step in the direction of loss of liberty is the biggest.

David Cameron announced that the NHS is the Tories number 1 priority.  Labour said the Tories can’t be trusted with the NHS.

The Conservatives are said to have announced £45bn of spending plans.  Labour say that makes a £34bn tax hole.

Where is the truth?  David Cameron has been consistent about the NHS and has maintained an honest approach in general so I’d be inclined to believe him.  A shame it comes to having to make the NHS such a big issue when it seems in reality the biggest problem is the forthcoming government debt.

On tax holes, all the numbers are so wrapped in caveats that it’s not worth thinking about.  Labour have been very political in their statements so it’s never clear whether they’re saying it includes exclusions, was announced 10 years ago and shelved or was rejected as impossible and then added to head off something the other side said. 

The government is tactfully ignoring that public debt is forecast to grow to immense size in the next few years.  It doesn’t seem right that Alastair Darling makes big issue about his own interpretation of Conservative plans when he won’t come clean about the debt. How can we have a fair campaign when the biggest issue is ignored by the incumbent and so no-one dare speak of it.   If there is a subject in the future TV debate that needs hammering, it’s this.