Coalition MPs Are Occasionally Okay

A new campaign has been launched called ‘Feel Free To Insult Me’. Two of its main proponents are gay rights activist Peter Tatchell and Conservative MP David Davis. It simply promotes freedom of speech, even when insulting a person or group. Recently there have been a couple of disconcerting arrests: although common sense finally allowed them to be released without charge, a teenage boy was nonetheless arrested merely for holding a placard that read “Scientology is a dangerous cult”, and a student was arrested for a joke about a police officer’s horse being gay! If scientologists and homosexuals are offended by these statements, they need to grow up and chill out. So Tatchell and Davis have put their usual ideological differences aside in the hope that a law banning public insults will be repealed. Therefore, well done David Davis for resisting the traditional control freakery of the Tories. Also in the news this week, a report has been released by a ‘Conservative-supporting venture capitalist’ (now there are four words that should send chills down anybody’s spine!), encouraging reform of employment law so that ‘no-fault dismissal’ would become a great deal easier. In layman’s terms, this means employers will be able to sack an employee without having to provide a reason, thereby avoiding tribunal expenses. Thankfully, Business Secretary and Liberal Democrat MP Vince Cable has stated his opinion that there is no place in British society for this type of removal of workers’ rights. This will hopefully prevent such a draconian policy from ever reaching fruition. So also a big well done to Vince for realising that the economy is not the be all and end all of politics. But of course, Davis and Cable are exceptions; don’t ever forget that the majority of the ConDem coalition government are still very uncool.

Sporting Integrity

Some people think that sport and politics should always be kept separate; I suppose their reasoning is that sporting events are purely for entertainment purposes (i.e. the best athlete wins, and that’s all there is to it), and morality shouldn’t spoil that enjoyment. But, as you’ve probably already guessed, I disagree. I was perturbed a few weeks ago when the seemingly amoral - as in, money driven - Bernie Ecclestone pushed for the Bahrain Grand Prix to take place regardless of the serious repression of the masses that has been occurring for over a year now (not to mention the fact that Grands Prix annually take place in China where human rights abuses are even more frequent!). I’m frustrated that shortly the Euro 2012 football tournament will partly be held in Ukraine where Yulia Tymoshenko is currently incarcerated under draconian circumstances as a political prisoner; a country which only a few years ago rightly hailed their Orange Revolution for installing a progressive government, has now managed to take three steps back for its one step forward. And on a more local level, boxing (one of my favourite sports) is being brought into disrepute by Frank Warren, David Haye and Derek Chisora. After an outrageous press conference a few months back where Haye and Chisora brawled like savage animals (for which, I hasten to add, I think Haye was more to blame as he threw the first punch - his claim that pre-empive strikes are always acceptable would have seen us in nuclear war decades ago!), they are now being rewarded by the Luxembourg Boxing Federation with a big fight payday. I know that boxing revolves around money - like a lot of sports do - but this is a step too far. Irrespective of whether the legalities of boxing commissions are technically being followed, it is clearly an immoral fight as it wouldn’t be taking place now had it not been for the demonstration of casual brutality. Boxing is meant to be a controlled aggressive sport, not one for street thugs to show off their barbarism. And unlikely as it is, I really hope Warren gets stripped of his manager’s licence so he can never promote a debacle like this again!

Olympic Dreams Equal Potential Profits

When people negatively criticise the forthcoming Olympic Games, one of the common remarks is that the event will only benefit big businesses and political ambitions, while ignoring ordinary workers. Those of a right-wing ideology often retort that wealth will ‘trickle down’ to surrounding local companies as tourism increases trade, and the whole area will get an economic boost, advantaging even those on lower incomes. However, Shelter - a charity for the homeless - has seen increasing evidence of London landlords giving tenants little time to leave their properties, or increasing rents hugely as the Olympics approaches. One estate agent has gone on record saying that properties previously rented for £350 per week were now being marketed for £6,000 per week! How is that going to benefit anyone other than rich people?! As usual, the glorious ambitions of the few are ignoring the vital needs of the many.

Financial Responsibility

In a week where Labour have quite rightly trounced the Tories in elections (with the exception of mad Mayor Boris!), I have actually found myself agreeing with a Conservative MP. Defence Secretary Philip Hammond has said that consumers and home-owners who took out loans, spent on credit cards and accepted large mortgages were "consenting adults … Households were spending more than they earned. That's why household debt rose … there were two consenting adults in all these transactions, a borrower and a lender, and they may both have made wrong calls. Some people are unwilling to accept responsibility for the consequences of their own choices." I wholeheartedly concur with this opinion. People who borrow money without considering their financial situation are reckless and should understand that their actions contributed to the financial crisis just like the banks’ actions did. A person should only spend what they can afford; it’s that simple. Monetary speculation is economic naivety. So in future, I strongly suggest that everyone only buys what they are able to purchase. It really isn’t difficult.