Oops!

Tories in trouble again. This time from Patrick Mercer MP, Shadow Minister for Homeland Security. Does not make good reading.

Gordo

Good news for Labour it seems - have the Tories simply been masking the fact that Gordon might be a good PM?

Congestion Charging

So, London's congestion charge zone roughly doubled in size today with a westward expansion coming into force. The £8 road toll scheme now takes in most of Westminster and Kensington and Chelsea in west London.

Ken and TfL predict traffic in the extended zone will fall by up to 15% as a result of the extension, but what about the performance of the scheme itself. Although traffic levels fell by 30% in the year or so after introduction, the congestion is beginning to increase again. Ken recently announced that the CC zone had only reduced congestion by 20%, which questions the efficacy of extending the scheme westwards.

There are several important points to consider, however. Many Tories oppose the CC because "it is not a green policy but rather an expensive failure, damaging local shops and restaurants without having a significant impact on congestion levels." (Angie Bray, London Assembly Member in April 2006)

In actual fact, the CC has brought many benefits to the capital, including more reliable journeys, a significant cut in CO2, and a reduction of up to 15 per cent in the most harmful vehicle emissions within the zone.

Independent research demonstrates that road safety has also improved, with up to 70 fewer personal road injuries per year as a direct result of congestion charging.

Labour Deputy Leadership

The Labour blogs have been consumed over the past few months with rows over the Deputy Leadership. Check out this highly amusing summary courtesy of The British Bullshit Foundation

Nice to know it isn't the Tories imploding with rows for once. Mind you, that isn't mentioning cash for honours, the casino fiasco, the Iraq war, the party debt, and various other problems eating away at Labour.

Find out which West Wing character you are here.

I came out as Toby Zeigler:

"Ahh, the ever-cynical and sarcastic speechwriter. Gutsy and not afraid to speak up or clash with authority, his dry wit is amusing. But under it all he's just a big teddy bear... and the world's biggest Yankees fan."

Secretly rather pleased. Glad to say I look nothing like him. And this really is the last post of today...

Mark Clarke

Dear old chap that is Mark Clarke, of whom I'm not a great fan. He's recently been selected for Tooting, fighting Sadiq Kahn. See here for the outpourings of joy from Conservative Home.

For the other side of the story, Recess Monkey, a fellow researcher from the other side of the fence, coupled with Gweirdo, has some 'interesting' posts here.

I may be a Tory through and through, but I know Sadiq Kahn quite well, and he's a pleasant, well adjusted and intelligent MP. Having respect for the other side is important, and it would be a shame to lose him from the House.

The Beginning

The Roman philosopher Seneca claimed that “Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end.” Having had a modicum of classical education, this particular quote learnt by rote from my Latin master's textbook I swore I would never use, but it's surprising how often it pops into my head.

Blogging is all the rage now. There are thousands of them out there, so why begin yet another? I suppose because in some way it is therapeutic to put one's thoughts onto paper. It is the modern form of a diary, yet more public, more interactive and more daring. I also think I have something to offer - a little spice to add for someone who has two minutes to spare and wants to know some of the shennanigans of political life in Westminster from someone who's intimately involved. Yes, I know it's been done before, but there are some things I just need to get off my chest...