Time for a Fair Deal on the Buses...

Mean-spirited councillors at Grantham have again decided to put off giving Deeping pensioners the same deal on the buses enjoyed in every other part of Lincolnshire.

Last April, Conservative-controlled South Kesteven Council refused to join a county-wide scheme to extend the Government's concessionary fares scheme to include buses before 9.30am.

They said they needed time to see how much it would cost.

Now the figures are in for the first six months of the scheme - and the actual cost to the council is about HALF what they actually bugetted for.

Now they have decided they need more time.

I believe it's an absolute disgrace.

The appeal for the suffering Gaza children the BBC refuses to show...

Judge for yourself. It's not about politics. It's a straight forward humanitarian appeal to help the innocent children...

The BBC says its impartiality may be compromised if it shows it.

Alternatively, you may think that the BBC's impartiality will be compromised, if it doesn't show it...

Kilroy's kangaroo testicles and Spanish practices...

Robert Kilroy Silk - who faced a storm a couple of months ago when he was paid to appear on 'I'm a Celebrity' at the same time as collecting generous wages to represent us as Euro-MP for the East Midlands - is clearly finding it tough to survive the economic downturn.

He's apparently been forced to advertise his luxury Spanish villa for rent - for a cool £12,750 a fortnight.

If you want 'extras' like air-con for your stay at Permatan's Pad, that will cost you another £250.

And to squeeze every penny, you can even get a map of the local area thrown in for another four quid. What a cheek.

Wonder how much extra he charges for his sun-beds?

So why is he trying to rent out his villa, which rather ironically is said to be a former olive mill (no, honestly!).

Well, locals say Kilroy is rarely seen there. Critics of course would say he's rarely seen at the Euro-Parliament either where he reportedly misses at least half the votes, attracting derision in such publications as Private Eye.

In fact, few have seen Kilroy in the East Midlands, never mind the Euro-Parliament since the good people of Erewash in Derbyshire rejected his vain bid to become their MP in the 2005 General Election - see photo.

Which was an even bigger humiliation to his ego than becoming the first 'celeb' to be booted out of the jungle when the former MP and sacked chat-show host attempted to relaunch his TV career before Christmas...

I loved the comment from Labour's Glenis Willmott at the time. Glenis suggested that Kilroy was elected to represent the people of the East Midlands, not parade in an Australian jungle chewing kangaroo testicles!

Two stories that damage politics itself...

Two big stories in today's Sunday papers have the potential to further sully the reputation of our political process in the eyes of the public.

First, revelations about generous freebies and a £1 million paycheck allegedly taken by former Tory Chancellor Ken Clarke from tobacco companies while he was also being paid as MP to represent the people of Rushcliffe.

The Mail on Sunday show Ken Clarke's close links to British American Tobacco chairman going back a quarter of a century to the time when he was a Government Minister.

It is alleged that BAT were offering him freebies as long ago as 1988. The following year, as Health Secretary, Ken Clarke resisted moves to add 'smoking kills' warnings on fag packets.

It's important to add that Ken Clarke denies he or BAT did anything 'improper'.

To many people, the very appeal of Ken Clarke has been his enduring - and rather endearing - hush-puppy image of an ordinary bloke who speaks his mind.

Years ago, I remember being impressed by the stories that at Tory Party Conferences, Mr Clarke and his wife always preferred to stay in a homely little B&B - even when he was Chancellor - rather than in the rather grand Conference hotel with the rest of his collagues.

His no-nonsense image is surely the reason ex Bullingdon-boy David Cameron brought Ken Clarke back to the Tory front-bench earlier this week after 11 years: to try to connect with 'ordinary' people.

If nothing else, today's Mail on Sunday shatters Ken Clarke's frugal image. But it is also another hammer-blow to the business of politics itself.

Today's other big political story is, if true, much more explosive and potentially even more damaging.

The Sunday Times alleges that four Labour peers were prepared to help amend laws if they received cash from business.

The Labour peers in the headlights today deny they broke any rules and a thorough investigation has already been promised by the Leader of the House of Lords Baroness Royall.

I have to say this story has horrible undertones of the disgraceful 'cash for questions' scandal involving Tory MPs some 15 years ago when a Sunday Times 'sting' exposed certain Conservative MPs who were prepared to accept cash to ask questions in Parliament.

Much has been done since then to tighten up the rules and introduce transparency at the Palace of Westminster, particularly in the Commons.

But if the allegations in the Sunday Times story prove true, then it will hopefully serve to speed up root and branch reform of our Upper Chamber to give confidence and trust in those chosen to govern us.

President Bush made President Obama possible...

President Bush's greatest legacy is that he has made Barack Obama possible.

Labour Minister Ben Bradshaw, speaking on BBC Radio Four's Any Questions.

BBC accused of denying humanitarian aid to Gaza...

The BBC stands accused of being 'complicit in denying humanitarian aid' in Gaza.

And if the BBC bosses who refuse to allow a non-political appeal for aid for Gaza, maybe this article will help them see sense and change their minds.

BBC has lost the plot over Gaza appeal...

The BBC has taken a shameful and outrageous decision for totally spurious reasons NOT to broadcast an appeal by the respected Disasters Emergency Committee to send aid to Gaza.

It is a decision that MUST be overturned without delay to help save children and show the world that at least the British people have some compassion for the suffering innocents.

UPDATE: The Times says the BBC has been isolated by ITV, C4 and C5 who have all agreed to boradcast the appeal on Monday. There's also all-party pressure from Government Ministers and the Opposition to the BBC's bizarre decision.

But so far, BBC bosses has stuck their heads in the sand and refuse to do the decent thing.

Unless the BBC acts very quickly with an immediate u-turn, far from protecting their worldwide reputation, the BBC are shooting themselves in the foot.

With both barrells.

We are a Grand-dad...

and Grandma of course...At 5.04 this morning, our gorgeous elder daughter Claire Jessica brought a little bundle of joy into the world.

The future England centre-forward signed in at Peterborough Hospital at a healthy 7lb 4oz (in old money).

New mum Claire, proud father Sam and as yet unnamed baby all seem fine and doing well...

Grand-dad and Grandma feeling very old.

But isn't life just Wonderful...!

(You may have to put up with a photo later - when i can work out how to do it).

Whad'ya think of it so far...?

And the answer is of course: 'Rubbish...'

A stink over a council refuse lorry that spewed rubbish onto Spalding Road, Deeping St James, instead of sucking it up, makes a page lead complete with picture of said offending mess, in tonight's Peterborough Evening Telegraph.

The lady who publicised the story gets a roasting from some ET readers for not taking matters into her own hands and clearing up the mess herself.

A bit unfair, I thought.

But at least South Kesteven District Council pitched up within an hour to clear up the rubbish caused by a malfunction in one of their vehicles...

Guess which school Prince Charles visits...?

Which of the two Stamford Schools was visited this afternoon by Prince Charles...?

Was it the all-comers state school, the Queen Eleanor - essentially a struggling secondary modern...?

Or was it the fee-paying Stamford Endowed Schools which despite being a private school is propped up by me and every other council taxpayer in Lincolnshire...?

Answers on a postage stamp please.

Footnote: Every state school in Lincolnshire - including Queen Eleanor and Deepings Comp - still has its budget top-sliced by the Tories who run Lincolnshire County Council to pay for a few children to get a private education at Stamford Endowed. No Deepings children may apply for these places, no matter how talented, despite the fact that Deepings council taxpayers pick up the bill.

Do something amazing...

Give blood this Thursday at Deepings Methodist Church, Church Street, Deeping St James from 1pm to 3.30pm and 4.30pm to 7pm.

Book now here or at 0845 7711711.

Sen. Teddy Kennedy taken ill...

Channel Four News reporting that Senator Teddy Kennedy, brother of assassinated President JFK, has been taken ill at the inaugural lunch. President Obama made a point of going over to greet Sen. Kennedy at the start of the lunch in the Capitol Building...

Kennedy recently returned to public life after fighting brain cancer and promised to be there at Obama's inauguration...

He kept his promise.

UPDATE:

UPDATE 2: New York Times says Sen. Kennedy collapsed with 'fatigue' but is now feeling well although expected to stay in hospital overnight.

It's official. It's President Obama...

Great day for America. Great day for the world.

UPDATE: Here's a transcript of President Barack Obama's rather sombre, but inspirational inaugural address in which he said America was ready to lead again, and offered the hand of friendship to potential foes, but made it clear that the US under Obama would not be a push-over.

Change we can believe in.

NHS Dentist looking for business...

No waiting lists here says South Lincs dentist in the Sleaford Standard

Ken Clarke is back...Bring 'em on!

ITN just announced that former Tory Chancellor Ken Clarke has done a deal with David Cameron and will become Shadow Business Secretary tomorrow - replacing fellow East Midlands MP Alan Duncan.

ITN says the pro-European MP Ken Clarke has taken a 'vow of silence' on his pro-European views to keep the anti-Euro Tories in their box.

We'll see...

Meanwhile, can't wait to see Cameron bring back the other 'big beasts' of yesteryear like John Redwood, Norman Tebbitt and Michael Howard.

Bring 'em on!