In the sort of twist of fate that makes me laugh out loud, I note that the attempts to have a national postal strike make be adversely affected by the localised industrial action of the employees of Royal Mail. Which - if it happens - would be pretty damned wonderful. A great example of the law of unintended consequences, and enough to make me believe just a little in karma.

Jacqui Smith on the idiotic cop that has to resign:

"Although the operation was successful, he felt that his position was untenable. I want to offer my sincere appreciation of all the outstanding work he has done in this role."

Given all the scandals that have enveloped her over the past few weeks, I really do wonder whether she managed to say someone else's position was untenable without an ironic grin on her face.

Hypocrisy? Insanity? Delusion? Nu Labour.

Peter Hain on The Electoral Commission:

"I do think the Electoral Commission does need to be much more accountable and needs different leadership from what it has had in the first stage of its work. I must say, and I won't go into detail, I found it to be incompetent, dysfunctional and unworldly, politically."

Let's rewrite that to be a comment on the current government:

"I do think the Labour government does need to be much more accountable and needs different leadership from what it has had. I must say, and I won't go into detail, I found it to be incompetent, dysfunctional and unworldly, politically."

Honestly, I don't think Hain gets the irony of what he is saying. But is anyone knows incompetence, it is him.

On *That* BNP List

A few points from your humble author on the publication of a membership list of the BNP:

1. It is a breach of the Data Protection Act, and people have a right to privacy regardless of their political views.

2. Anyone sending abuse or threats to those on the list are simply stooping to the level of the BNP. Their members should be laughed at and pitied for being pig ignorant lackwits - to do anything else to them is excessive.

3. I've seen the list, but ain't printing a publishing a direct link to it.

4. How idiotic does the BNP look this morning, blaming the leak in a disgruntled former employee and invoking the Human Rights Act? After all, they despise the Human Rights Act, so the irony that they are now hiding behind it makes me laugh. Gleefully.

5. This whole furore shows both that the views of the BNP are unacceptable and that their members are afraid of being linked to the very party they joined. Yeah, part of this is the threat of violence, but there are some days when I feel like punching a Labour party member. Ultimately, if you have political beliefs, you should be able to defend them. And all this incident says to me is that BNP members are not capable of defending their membership of their party.

In fact, even those who try to defend the BNP are capable of defending that party, as this wonderful comment from adam.h at Tim Worstall's place shows:

anyone white who lives in england an does not support the BNP is a complete idiot and i pitty them. i invite anyone to argue with me because i no im right.P.S the only reason we dont express our views pubilically is because we most certainly do not have the right to freedom of speech.

Maybe I'll argue you with you one day, adam.h. But I'm going to wait until you are at least able to spell basic words like "know". And understand basic punctuation.

Consider This

There is a country where the democratically elected leader was ousted by an internal party coup. Their current leader was not elected by anyone - he was simply crowned leader of his party after an internal election where he refused to allow anyone to run against him. Since being crowned leader of his party in the non-contest, this leader has refused repeated opposition calls to have a democratic election to give him a mandate to rule. His government have used national funds to prop up banks that have failed partly through government policy. His government have taken the details of citizens - including children - and lost that data, potentially leaving it open to criminal abuse. And his government have taken donations from shady sources that are, by the admission of the government, illegal. This government is incompetent, corrupt and - above all - unelected.

Which country, you might be asking? Somewhere in the developing world? What about a former Soviet Republic? A South American country?

Errr, no. It is here. This is Britain.

Hysterical? Probably. But consider the description above. If it was describing a government in the developing world or Eastern Europe or South America we would be looking down on that country and tutting in a sanctimonious way. The Guardianistas and neo-cons would be united, talking of sanctions and election inspectors. The country would be made into a pariah internationally. However, because it is happening in Britain, it is accepted as ok.

So as you read of every new fuck up and scandal from the Brown administration, every new policy initiative that you don't agree with, remember he was never elected. He has no mandate. This country (for reasons that defy understanding) elected Tony Blair. Not Gordon Brown.