That was 2011...in news

STUDYING journalism at University, it is essential to keep updated on the latest news around the world, no matter if it has any influence on you.  2011 has been one of the most dramatic news years in recent times, but sadly – there were a lot of dark forces and the stories don’t lie.  Natural disasters, media revelations, economic crisis, uprisings in a new world and man-made riots made it a fairly depressing year for many.

         The heart of Japan was ripped out in March by a devastating earthquake and tsunami that hit the country.  An 8.9 earthquake on the Richter scale; the most powerful in Japan’s history was followed by a 30ft tsunami which swept away everything in its path.  Cars, people, buildings stood absolutely no chance against Mother Nature’s deadly power.  Many thousands were killed and it is unlikely that the total death toll will ever be recorded, due to the sheer destruction.  It was a year when natural disasters sadly came right to the forefront again.  Flash flooding recently has claimed the lives of 500 people in the Philippines; Brazil was hit by massive landslides which left 15,000 homeless in January.  Australia had to bring in the military following widespread flooding in Queensland and Brisbane, which left at least 25 people dead and nearby neighbours New Zealand were left reeling by the earthquake in Christchurch in February which left over 100 dead.   

         Back at home and the media had its own cross examinations, in the form of a gulfing scandal.  The phone hacking scandal not only stained the reputation of the British print industry, but it has left it with a lot of damage to attempt recovery from.  Andy Coulson, who was David Cameron’s former press aide, was arrested and the chief executive of News International, Rebekah Brooks, eventually resigned from her tainted position.  The Murdoch’s faced severe interrogation from MPs over the actions of rogue journalists, which spelt the end for the News of the World newspaper in July.  The voicemails of murdered teen Milly Dowler were hacked into and many celebrities, including Hugh Grant, Sienna Miller and Andy Gray reported cases of their conversations being taped.  The Leveson enquiry into this summer’s distasteful events is being held at the moment, but the implications are still far reaching for the press sector of media.

         In America, the former doctor of Michael Jackson, Conrad Murray was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter.  He has since been sentenced to four years in prison.  Meanwhile, student Amanda Knox was cleared on appeal on the murder of fellow British student Meredith Kercher in Perugia.  Knox had spent four years in jail, having been initially convicted in 2007.  

      America also said goodbye to the Space Shuttle, as Atlantis made its final mission in July.  Having been in service for 30 years, the reusable spacecraft has been retired after some success and devastating disasters in American space exploration history.  In Europe, an economic meltdown has seen the Euro on the brink of collapse.  Greece, Ireland and Portugal have asked for emergency bailouts and a recent EU treaty proposal was rejected by David Cameron, which has left Britain playing a dangerous game, but a correct game against Europe.  It has seen tensions rise in the coalition though.  The Liberal Democrats might be at war with the Conservatives with this, but they also lost the AV vote referendum and suffered severe losses in May’s local elections.  In 2010, Nick Clegg was on a crest on a wave, but now, he is among one of the most unpopular politicians ever to have walked in Downing Street!

        The springtime brought about a changing of the guard in the Arab world.  It started with the rebellion in Tunisia, which led to their president, Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali fleeing to Saudi Arabia.  Bahrain’s government also faced upheaval, but survived.  Hosni Mubarak wasn’t so lucky and after weeks of tense fighting and standoff in Cairo, he fled from his position as Egyptian president.  However, there is still great uncertainly about Egypt’s future direction.  Syria, Algeria and Saudi Arabia have also seen scenes of demonstrations in 2011, but it was Libya where the biggest change happened.  Colonel Gadaffi’s cruel regime finally came under stiff attack as world leaders called for him to depart graciously.  Gadaffi held on and declared war; Cameron, Barack Obama and Nicholas Sarkozy reacted and air strikes began on the country, with NATO been called in to help out.  After months of struggle, Gadaffi was captured and killed in September and a new dawn of promise and hope for Libyans might well be on, after years of torture and doom.     

          At the beginning of May, international terrorism came back into the headlines and the world became just a little bit safer.  Barack Obama confirmed the news that Osama Bin Laden was dead.  The Al-Qaeda figurehead was captured and shot dead by US troops in Pakistan; a decade after the search for him began following the September 11^th terrorist attacks.  Ten years on, it will never bring back those who died in the appalling mass murder in America; nor those who suffered in Bali, Istanbul and London in years gone by, but a sense of justice could now be felt.  Despite Bin Laden’s death, terrorism still remains at the forefront of our lives.  In July, Anders Behring Breivik blew up government offices in Oslo, Norway and then, dressed as a policeman, committed a shooting rampage on Utoya Island, where many youngsters were spending a summer holiday at camp.  Around 70 people were thought to have been killed in the two attacks.  More recently, a man threw explosives in Liege, Belgium.  Four died and the gunman took his own life after the four explosions rocked the city centre.    

         In April, Britain had a wonderful day, as millions watched in London and on TV the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton.  It was a perfect day and put a lot of affection back into our hearts for the Royal Family.  The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, as they are now officially known brought a tear to many people’s eyes to show that our country can really do something that we should be proud of.

     Four months later, the dark side really came to the force as the UK riots stunned us all.  The shooting of Mark Duggan in Tottenham began a chain of events within London and spread across many other areas of the UK on a miserable Monday evening in August.  Businesses were destroyed, damage estimated to be in the billions and the leadership seemed to be lacking from the coalition; all on holiday at the time the riots escalated.  Several people died and record arrests were made, as police struggled to control the loonies who were causing such destruction on our country.  The riots disgusted many and brought shame on a worldwide scale.  The cost is still being felt now. 

       One of the greatest geniuses died in October, as founder and visionary of Apple, Steve Jobs lost his battle against pancreatic cancer.  The world also said goodbye to singer Amy Winehouse, found dead in her London apartment in July.  Elizabeth Taylor, the renowned actress passed away from ill health in March, as did Coronation Street icon Betty Driver in October.  Sport also lost three heroes in Wales’s football manager Gary Speed, who took his own life, former heavyweight world champion Joe Frazier to cancer and double Indy 500 champion Dan Wheldon, killed in a horrific 15 car pile-up at the IndyCar season finale in Las Vegas. 

           2011 has been a year full of revelations, rebellion and change.  It has brought some cheer, some justice but also, a lot of devastation and uncertainly.  That was 2011….in news.

London wins 2017 World Athletics bid

THE future of the Olympic Stadium in London is secure after they won the rights to stage the 2017 IAAF World Athletics Championships.  It will be the first time that Britain has hosted these championships since the concept began in Helsinki way back in 1983.  Britain’s bid came out on top at a World Athletics gala dinner in Monte Carlo last Friday.  It beat a strong bid from Doha, Qatar by 16 votes to 10.  The prestigious event will be staged in the £496 million Olympic stadium, ensuring use for a glorious setting after next year’s Olympics.

DELEGATION: The 2017 team were successful in their bid

       Lord Coe, Denise Lewis and the Mayor of London Boris Johnson were all present at the announcement and reacted with delight and relief at the fact that another top sporting class event will be heading to these shores.  Coe said; “We’ve got the Olympics in 2012, the world athletics championships in 2017 and world championships in virtually all other sports.  It’s an extraordinary clean sweep for British sport.”

       Back in London, David Cameron expressed his satisfaction at overcoming a strong Qatar bid, as the rich oil country was denied a second major sporting event after winning the 2022 FIFA World Cup last December.  “There is no better way to follow the Olympics and to build on its legacy, than by welcoming the world’s greatest athletes back to London for the 2017 World Championships.”

         It will strengthen Britain’s armoury of hosting some of the biggest world events over the next decade.  Wembley recently got the news that it will stage the 2013 UEFA Champions League final, after this year’s success.  The Rugby World Cup in 2015, the 2014 Commonwealth Games and 2019 Cricket World Cup will also be hosted in the UK.  Sports minister Hugh Robertson had previously said that the Olympic Stadium would remain, despite the prospect of no sport being played after West Ham withdraw from a contentious plan to use the stadium for football after the Olympics in 2012.  On Friday, Robertson’s theory was proven right and he said; “I am delighted that London has won the rights to hosts the IAAF 2017 World Athletics Championships.  Our bid showed the passion that our nation has for athletics and this will leave a fantastic legacy for the sport.”

         Despite being favourites going into the vote, there were no guarantees, especially with the money Qatar has at its disposal.  On this occasion, tradition and legacy has won and rightly so.  UK Athletics is on a crest of a wave and London will be brilliant hosts in 2017.

Steve Jobs - A modern genius

A WORLD reacted to the sad news of the death of one of the greatest geniuses to operate in our modern history two weeks ago.  Steve Jobs, the figurehead behind such innovations as the iPod, iPad and iPhone died a fortnight ago, aged 56 after a long battle with pancreatic cancer.

     Jobs vision was to change the lives of us all and he managed to do that, turning Apple into one of the most profitable companies of recent times.  He understood the needs of people and has changed the way we communicate forever.  Along with Microsoft’s Bill Gates and founder of Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg, Jobs has to be one of the most influential worldwide figures of the past two decades.

     It wasn’t just recent times that Jobs has pioneered the way we used technology.  He founded Apple in 1976 along with Ronald Wayne and Steve Wozniak.  Eight years later, Apple launched the Macintosh computer, the first system to use a mouse.  Not only was it used in one of the greatest ever commercials to be seen, it paved the way for future successes in the computer industry, such as the iMac – a massive product in how Apple and Jobs managed to build its success.  In 2001, the music industry was revolutionised with the launch of the iPod.  Walkman’s and CD players became practically useless, by the ability to listen to our favourite music on the go with such lightweight equipment.  Six years later, the iPhone did exactly the same for the mobile phone market, launching the Smartphone craze, with rivals such as BlackBerry and Android still struggling to attract consumers in a similar field.  Last year, the iPad was launched and introduced the tablet market.  Once again, many have copied but failed to match Apple’s success in this department and this is because, Steve Jobs understood the needs of the consumer more than his rivals.

       Tributes came in from competitors and worldwide figures on hearing of his death.  UK Prime Minister David Cameron reminisced about his first uses of Apple technology; “I certainly can remember the first time I used an Apple computer, the first time I used an iPad.  He has certainly been inspirational for all of us.”  Barack Obama said “the world had lost a visionary.”  Tim Cook, who took over as chief executive of Apple at the beginning of September paid his tribute to Apple employees in a company e-mail; “Apple has lost a visionary and creative genius, and the world has lost an amazing human being.  Steve leaves behind a company that only he could have built and his spirit will forever be the foundation of Apple.”

      It hasn’t always been plain-sailing for the Jobs/Apple partnership.  He resigned from the company in 1985 after clashes with the board over the direction the company were heading, only to spearhead them again a decade later.  His visionary ambition also has played its part in the movie industry, buying Pixar in 1986 and helping to create box office animation smashes such as Toy Story, Monsters Inc and A Bug’s Life before selling up twenty years later. 

Steve Jobs - February 24 1955 - October 6 2011

      Apple is now one of the leading figures in the world and certainly has not only ended Microsoft’s domination of the technology market; it has overwhelmed them in recent years.  Steve Jobs has transformed the company and changed the way we communicate and use technology in our lives.  His death leaves a real gap in the technology industry and although Apple will go on and probably still be full of success for many years to come, there will only ever be one Steve Jobs. 

RIP Steve Jobs - 24 February 1955 - 6 October 2011

The UK riots - My view

By Simon Wright (Personal column)

SO, ‘BROKEN Britain’ lies in ruins after last week’s horrific scenes of rioting and looting across the country.  Note to toy manufacturers, no batteries have been included in these burnt out shops, homes and businesses.  Some shops look like the burnt out shell that was The Loft nightclub after the 2009 fire in Channel 4’s Hollyoaks, whilst others remain open for business as if last week was a storm in a teacup.

     It wasn’t though.  Approximately 3,000 arrests have been made by police, with at least 60 per cent of these having been charged for the crimes.  The damage is likely to end up reaching £1billion pounds and it is a dreadful promotion for the capital city, with the 2012 Olympics now less than a year away.  Chelsea Ives, one of the rioters, was an Olympic ambassador.  That’s an embarrassing image sight for the organisers and I’m pleased the IOC (International Olympic Committee) has backed us.  I’m shocked to realise that we have so many idiots in our country.  London was the worst hit, but there were also severe disturbances in Manchester, Birmingham, Liverpool and Bristol, with minor damage reported in Nottingham, Gloucester, Oxford, Wolverhampton, Milton Keynes and West Bromwich.  So, why did we end up all fearing for the establishments we live and love last week in the worst riots seen in this country for many a generation.  Many reasons have been given, which I will go into detail later on in this blog.

     First of all, as I tuned into Sky throughout Monday night last week, I was appalled to see what was happening.  It shook me to a core and I felt sick to the stomach.  Anger was building up inside me; as the pictures saw London look like a disaster movie, with many industries looking as battered and bruised as you would if you’d taken on Mike Tyson in his prime.  I was leaving the country in 48 hours time and when I heard of trouble reaching my own hometown, I started to wonder what I would come back to.  Luckily, it has calmed down since then, but the damage has been done and left so many heartbreaking stories.

    Ashrof Rassle is brave to say he still loves this country and wants to stay.  The Malaysian student is recovering in hospital after he was attacked and robbed on the streets by thugs.  The video was recorded and uploaded to YouTube and is an absolutely disgraceful act.  I feel massively for Trevor Reeves, who could only watch in horror as his local furniture store burnt down in Croydon.  It had survived two World Wars and lived through four generations of family, what a tragic way for the business to end.  Then there’s Richard Bowes, who was attempting to remonstrate yobs that set fires to bins near his home in Ealing, only to be beaten to death in an act of cynical behaviour.  Finally, there are the three young lads in Birmingham, who were protecting their livelihoods (businesses and mosques) and ultimately paid the price, with their lives.  I’m so proud to see the community of Birmingham come together at a time of such overwhelming tragedy.    

     The government has taken a load of stick for their handling of the carnage to have descended on the UK and some of it is fully merited.  More organisation has to be used around holidays, with rotas the only way forward.  I’m sorry, but you cannot have the five main figureheads of the country (Home Secretary, Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister, Mayor of London and Chancellor) on holiday at exactly the same time.  The one politician I did feel sorry for was Boris Johnson.  He was heckled in the streets, but he was trying to help and also got involved in the cleanup in Clapham.  It got worse when Boris was bullied in an interview last Tuesday night (August 9) by ITN anchor and Daily Mirror columnist Mark Austin.  Johnson did really well to get his points across, despite Austin’s ignorant attempts to butt into his answers.  The way he handled the interview was very professional and dignified.  As for Austin, it was a foul piece of journalism and a bad example of how to do it.  For me, a respected news anchor dropped the ball here.

     As the week has progressed, I have been deeply unimpressed by the way David Cameron has handled this national crisis.  If I knew he was going to be this bad, maybe he should have stayed in Tuscany after all, sipping his precious cappuccino!  Despite the destruction, he still wants to cut 16,000 jobs on the police front.  What on earth is he doing!  Has he had his eyes shut throughout?  If anything, we need more police on the frontline as the anarchy broke out.  I’m afraid Mr. Cameron has been just as clueless of late as Arsene Wenger!  One message to Dave; I’m sure they do decent deals on priceless coffees at Starbucks if you really are that desperate for a caffeine boost!

     Last Thursday, he did say this in an emergency Commons debate; “And to the lawless minority, the criminals who have taken what they can get.  I say this, we will track you down, we will find you, we will charge you, we will punish you.  You will pay for what you have done.”  At least he has stuck to that, with magistrates working 24 hours a day to send a lot of the criminals into prison cells for their actions.  However, boot camps might have to be the way forward, because it might teach all of them a lesson in how to behave.  Any confidence I had in the coalition government has disintegrated.  Nick Clegg looks like a spare part, George Osbourne would rather be somewhere else rather than the House of Commons half the time and Theresa May is under huge pressure now, probably fighting a losing battle for her job.

     Now onto those who caused so much damage, fear and grief to the innocent.  It is inexcusable what they have done and an utter disgrace.  This was thuggery of the highest order.  Some don’t look sorry at all – I’ve heard stories of them smirking in court and laughing away without a care in the world.  You are a disgrace to society and I only wish we had bigger wheelie bins to tip you into!  I say to the courts, lock them up and throw away the key.  Boo hoo that you can’t afford the latest Nike Pegasus trainers, a Dell laptop or a 4-pack of Carlsberg Special Brew – it’s a tough life and we have all had to make sacrifices in the recession.  If you don’t like it, we don’t need you in the country, bugger off onto another planet!

    Despite some of the compensation packages that have been set-up by the government for affected businesses, it will end up being us that pays for most of the damage, not the loonies who did the damage.  Most taxpayers wouldn’t mind seeing these clowns having benefits and hand-outs being taken away from them.  It might help them learn, though that’s unlikely. 

    The parents need to take some responsibility too for the actions of their children.  For some of the criminals, running back to Daddy is probably the best option.  Oh wait, your Daddy probably encouraged you or is getting smashed out of his head at the local watering establishment!  The parents must take more control of their kid’s actions.  I’m pleased to have seen many parents hand their kids into the police.  Well done to you, no matter how hard it must have been, you’ve done the right thing.  To those parents who are protecting their violent youngsters, hang your head in shame, because you are not much better!

    Historian David Starkey will also probably need to find a new occupation.  His comments on last week’s edition of Newsnight have no place on television and he’d better hope that TalkSport offer him a place on their radio programming for sporting history.  After all, they seem to accept those disgraced professionals who make barbaric comments on TV.  Richard Keys and Andy Gray spring to mind!

     After what has happened last week, I have to ask myself, do I want to be a part of this country anymore?  I have to question it.  Our country might recover – but it will take lots of work to repair the burnt-out buildings and shattered glass windows.  I’m afraid, unless these police cuts are reviewed, the EMA (Education Maintenance Allowance) is restored and parents take more responsibility, this could easily happen again anytime soon.

     Lastly of course, my symphonies go out to those who have lost loved ones and been significantly affected by these devastating riots.

London riots escalate

ONLOOK: Riot police watch a fancy dress shop on fire in Clapham

FEAR, astonishment and disgust are amongst the emotions for many British citizens after the dramatic pictures and videos last night.  For the third successive night, the police were fighting a losing battle against hundreds of violent gangs, simply intent on causing as much destruction and damage as possible.  Hundreds of arrests have been made as London begins to count the cost of the damage.  Homes and businesses have been looted and set ablaze as British society faces upto its biggest problem for many decades.  Prime Minister David Cameron has had no choice but to cut short his summer holiday in Italy and make pleas for calm.  Tonight, 15,000 policemen will be out on the streets of London, but the trouble has now also descended outside the capital.  There were major disturbances in Birmingham last night, along with minor skirmishes in Liverpool, Nottingham and Bristol.

     The trouble began at the weekend in Tottenham, after the shooting of Mark Duggan by police last Thursday.  It spread to Ealing and Brixton on Sunday, with cars being smashed up, shops looted and set on fire, with police seemingly standing back and allowing the mob to take whatever possessions they felt like.  Yesterday, the initial trouble began in Hackney, as hundreds of youths attacked riot police and looted stores in broad daylight.  As the Hackney situation was brought under control, fires began in Peckham, with a Greggs store and a local electrical shop set ablaze; the gangs having no regard for the safety of innocent bystanders.  As YouTube footage came in of a man having his bag pack ransacked, dripping blood on the pavement floor, more London boroughs were targeted.  Gangs flooded the high street at Lewisham, once again, torching cars and looting stores at almost freewill. 

     At Clapham Junction, remarkable footage came in from a Sky News reporter close to the scene of a Ladbrokes store being robbed, with windows smashed, cash points targeted and a plasma TV being hauled off the wall.  Amazingly, it seemed like these idiots were being cheered on by people who found it funny!  The spread of violence has come through organised rumours on social networking sites Twitter and Facebook, as well as the BlackBerry private messenger service.  Research in Motion, the Canadian company that owns BlackBerry has promised it will help police to catch those responsible.  In Croydon, a large local furniture store was set on fire and destroyed in one of the most dramatic images of the evening.  The owner is devastated, as it was a business that had gone through four generations of his family.  168 years of graft all burnt out in less than half an hour.

     Prime Minister Cameron has faced a barrage of criticism for his lack of response to the dire situation.  CNN figurehead Piers Morgan wasn’t impressed on Twitter; “Now Cameron’s finally woken up, he should recall Parliament NOW.  This is a national emergency and the British public need protecting.”  This morning, the PM held a meeting with the police and under-fire Home Secretary Theresa May, before revealing in a statement that parliament will be recalled on Thursday for one day.  London Mayor Boris Johnson and Labour leader Ed Miliband are also returning home early from their summer breaks. 

     May went on BBC breakfast this morning to refute claims that heavy-hitting police tactics should be the order of the day, rejecting calls for the army and water cannons to be used, which would be a first in this country.  Yesterday, she pledged that those responsible will face strict action;

“I want to be clear – those responsible for the violence and looting will be made to face the consequences of their actions.”

     The outrage on social networking sites was clear from many shocked onlookers watching on their television screens.  Journalism student at the University of Northampton Chris Ola told me via Twitter the implications will be felt for many; “I can understand the outrage over the police killing the man…but this is ridiculous…it’s going to hurt the taxpayer.”  Another student at the University of Northampton, Stef Ventura fears the worst; “I fear for our country, we might be rewinding to the 1980s.”

     The blame game has already started, with some of the blame being laid at the Metropolitan police, who were over-stretched massively last night.  They made pleas for parents to know where their children were and get them inside as the mayhem continued.  From the skyline, London looked more like a disaster movie, not a bustling capital city that should be looking forward to host next year’s Olympic Games.  Former Labour mayor Ken Livingstone blamed the coalition’s dramatic spending cuts, telling the Daily Mirror; “The economic stagnation and cuts have inevitably created social division.”  Ex-deputy Prime Minister John Prescott expressed his viewpoint by setting-up a Twitter hash tag #where’sthegovernment.

BURNING: The Sony warehouse in Enfield burns to the ground

     However, it isn’t now London where this is happening now.  Birmingham saw trouble too.  Over 50 businesses were targeted by yobs in the Bullring shopping centre.  Melissa Hicks gave me a quick update of the situation on Facebook; “Birmingham City Centre is being smashed up and the big Primark shop has been burnt down.”  In Liverpool and Bristol, it was a similar, if quieter story.  This morning, the large Sony CD warehouse store on the corner of the M25 in Enfield was still burning to the ground, after it was set on fire in the early hours.  The FA have cancelled tomorrow’s night international friendly at Wembley between England and Holland and Carling Cup matches at Crystal Palace, Charlton, West Ham and Bristol City have been postponed on police advice.  The Premier League is also in contact with the police on a regular basis, with significant doubts over the fixtures taking place on the opening weekend involving Tottenham, QPR and Liverpool.  However, despite the Birmingham trouble, the third Cricket test at Edgbaston between England and India is set to go ahead on time tomorrow morning.

     As the cleanup began this morning, the whole country has to reflect on the trouble and the damage it has done to our society, with fingers crossed that tonight doesn’t bring the same amount of carnage and chaos in the country that last night did.

Terrorism hits Norway

OSLO and Utoya Island were the scenes for mass murder on Friday afternoon.  It is thought that 76 people were killed in two separate attacks which have rocked the world.  32-year old Anders Behring Breivik has been arrested and might even face the death penalty, although a long jail term of upto 21 years is more likely.

     On Utoya Island, around 20 miles away from the capital, Breivik dressed up as a police officer, enticed young political activists to him, as he let them know about the earlier carnage he’d caused outside the government buildings in Oslo.  He then went on a shooting rampage, which gave his victims very little chance of escape.  Initially, the death toll stood at 10 and had risen as high as 98.  This has been downgraded today, as in the carnage; it is thought that some bodies were counted twice.  Around 600 young people were estimated to be at the campsite for the summer.

WRECKAGE: A crumpled car lies in ruins after the Oslo explosion

     For those who escaped Breivik’s madness, they have been brought back to Norwegian mainland by the police, completely shocked and traumatised by the whole incident.  Just hours earlier, Breivik had detonated a car bomb outside the offices of Norway’s prime minister, Jens Stoltenberg.  Stoltenberg was due to visit the Utoya Island site on Saturday.  Seven people were killed in Oslo, which saw finance, oil ministry buildings and the PM’s office severely damaged.  Although they remain on high alert, the police have said that they aren’t linking Breivik to an international terrorist organisation, despite Norway’s small presence of army troops in both Libya and Afghanistan.  Instead, they believe that this was the work of a ‘madman.’

     PM Stoltenberg has vowed that the country will stick together.  He told the Reuters news agency; “We are a small country, but a very proud one.  Nobody can bomb us to be quiet; nobody can ever scare us from being Norway.”  Breivik’s apartment in Oslo was searched before his arrest.  A Christian fundamentalist, one of his friends told a media organisation that he was extremely right-wing in political aspects and used websites often to express his strong, unforgiving opinions. 

     Both David Cameron and Barack Obama have expressed their support with the Norwegian people following the trauma.  Obama, who collected his 2009 Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo, said that “our hearts go out to them and we will provide any support we can.”  Cameron told Sky News; “The Norwegians are old friends and allies and neighbours of Britain and I know all of Britain will stand with the Norwegian people in the days of sorrow that lie ahead.”

    Norway has always been seen as a friendly, peaceful country with a good society and no sign of any impending trouble.  The tranquil life that Norwegians enjoyed has now been terminally shattered on its darkest day, as the country and the entire world not only mourn the dead and pray for those seriously injured, but face up to the still severe threat of international and domestic terrorism.  

The end for the News of the World

By Simon Wright (News and personal piece)

CLOSURE: The final edition of the paper will be on Sunday

AFTER 168 years of exposing celebrities, shaming politicians and campaigning for better human rights, this Sunday will see the final ever edition of the News of the World.  Rupert Murdoch has taken the controversial decision to axe the newspaper, in a desperate bid to bury the phone hacking scandal which has dominated news headlines across the world this week.  Some 200 journalists have lost their jobs as a result of the decision taken by News International at its Wapping headquarters, but chief executive of the company, Rebekah Brooks – who was editor of the paper during the scandal, has remarkably held onto her job.  This morning, Andy Coulson – another former editor of the tabloid paper and former press aide in David Cameron’s coalition government was arrested for his role in the phone hacking, as well as allegations into payment to members of the Metropolitan Police.

     The News of the World has come under significant fire for the phone hacking of famous celebrities and politicians already this year.  Film star Sienna Miller, former deputy Prime Minister John Prescott, PR guru Max Clifford and TalkSport radio host Andy Gray were amongst the victims.  Some of these disputes were being settled with significant compensation packages.  However, the twisted events of the last week have led to the downfall of the biggest selling newspaper in the UK. 

      The trouble started when it emerged that the mobile phone of murdered teenager Milly Dowler in 2002 had been hacked into by rogue journalists.  As the days rolled on, more scandals emerged.  Also targeted were the parents of murdered Soham schoolgirls, Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman and victims of the 7/7 terrorist attacks in London – on the eve of the sixth anniversary.  The final death knell was when it emerged that some families of servicemen who fought for the country in Afghanistan, but never came home also had their phones and voicemails listened into.  Police have confirmed that they have had 4,000 complaints of mobile phones being targeted and the scandal is likely to cost News International £120million.  Media regulator OFCOM is investigating News International’s other businesses, including fellow newspapers under the branch; The Sun and The Times.  It also throws the proposed takeover of BSkyB into severe doubt, with culture secretary Jeremy Hunt forced to delay the go-ahead for the bid until September at the earliest.

QUESTIONS: Murdoch has decided to keep his chief executive

     Murdoch was reeling yesterday.  For a man who loves making news, he looked scared as he desperately tried to escape questions from pressing journalists on a golf course in Idaho, USA.  It seems though that under fire Brooks will keep her job as chief executive of the organisation, despite the cost of many other innocent positions.  Labour leader Ed Miliband, who has criticised David Cameron for his handling of the situation all week, is furious that Brooks still has a job, despite her knowledge of such illegal journalism practices.  He told the Daily Mirror;

     “It’s clearly people power that has forced this decision.  It’s the result of the revulsion that people felt at what happened at the News of the World.  The one person who seems to be staying in her job in chief executive Rebekah Brooks who was the editor at the time Milly Dowler’s phone was hacked.  I don’t think News International can hope to start to move on while she remains in place.” 

     The lawyer for the Dowler family, Mark Lewis is also saddened that those responsible are still in higher positions; “It’s sad that people will end up losing their jobs, but those responsible are still there.”  Current chairman of News International James Murdoch was interviewed by ITN’s political editor Tom Bradby last night.  He gave his full backing to Brooks and insisted he had no choice to announce the pulling of the plug for the paper;

     “The good things the News of the World does has been sullied by behaviour that was wrong.  Indeed, if recent allegations are true, it was inhuman and has no place in our company.  The News of the World is in the business of holding others to account, but it failed when it came to itself.”

     Celebrities have used Twitter to express their views on the newspaper’s axing today.  Singer George Michael said; "Today is a fantastic day for Britain.  These beliefs are in no way an excuse for any of my behaviour in recent times.  I was happy to do my time, because I was so ashamed.  But... I believe every individual, whether privileged or the average citizen, deserves the law.  And many of us rich or poor have been denied it by News International.  You gotta have faith in Karma.  Today it's very real. And I hope the families of Milly Dowler and all the others who died...."

     Former editor of the Daily Mirror Piers Morgan lamented the move, although he did slam their actions; “Shocked and saddened by closure of the News of the World.  Scandals of past week indefensible, but has been a great British newspaper."

     Founded in October 1843, the News of the World has an annual circulation of 3million readers today, despite the powers of 24-hour rolling news, social networking sites and the radical growth of the internet.  It is famous for its hard-hitting interviews and massive investigations that send celebrities into a pit of shame.  Some of its most famous moments included the undercover sting that exposed Sven-Goran Eriksson into agreeing to take over as Aston Villa manager in January 2006.  Eriksson, contracted to England at the time announced his departure after the 2006 World Cup finals just days following the ‘fake sheikh’ investigation.  It has also revealed Prince Harry’s experimentation with drink and drugs in 2002 and the spot-fixing involving Pakistan cricketers during last summer’s test series in England.  Unsurprisingly, the News of the World has also had to fight many libel cases.  England footballers Ashley Cole and Wayne Rooney have received damages out of court for sleazy stories that made the front page headlines, whilst former FIA president Max Mosley used an invasion of privacy into allegations regarding his private life in March 2008.  Mosley won £60,000 in damages, but lost the battle to change privacy laws in the UK only two months ago.  The News of the World has been underneath Rupert Murdoch’s News International banner since 1969.

MY VIEW

My symphony is with those affected by the disgusting practices

Although the celebrity phone hacking scandal is totally the wrong way to go, the cynics would say that to be famous, you are going to get negative headlines and therefore, these sort of practices.  However, once bereaved families are targeted, it becomes totally indefensible and inexcusable.  The practices are sick and I can’t believe that some rogue journalists would stoop so low to get a story.  Clearly there was no news in the world!  I am very saddened by the whole issue and of course, I have every symphony with the families of Milly Dowler, Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman, the 7/7 victims and families who have lost their loved ones at war.  For their families to basically go through the whole nightmare in the public eye once again is really sad. 

     I am not saddened by the closure of the News of the World.  Frankly, I felt the paper was full of unproven gossip and garbage.  I already boycotted The Sun anyways, due my anger over their coverage of the 1989 Hillsborough football stadium disaster.  Who I do feel sorry for are the innocent journalists, who have lost their jobs through no fault of their own.  However, Rebekah Brooks keeps hers.  It is unbelievable that she can still be backed by News International, especially after being the editor while Milly Dowler’s phone was being hacked into.  How can she sleep at night!  If she had any decent piece of soul in her body then she should do the honourable thing and resign.

     I do hope the BSkyB takeover doesn’t go through either.  Murdoch did introduce the concept of 24-hour rolling news into the UK and has revolutionised English football with the Sky Sports Premiership deal.  Great things for sure, but I don’t think it would be in the audience’s interest for a rogue media organisation to own BSkyB, no matter how viable and profitable it is. 

     Will people miss the News of the World?  Honestly, I don’t think so.  The Today newspaper was the last major paper to get the chop and that was owned by Murdoch in November 1995.  No-one remembers it today.  Rumours are already flying around that The Sun on Sunday will be launched, so it will probably just be same stories, and similar angles with different name.

     If there is a winner this week, it has to be Ed Miliband.  The Labour leader has really managed to show some steel and determination to push for change in the British press industry this week.  Miliband has put David Cameron under pressure and for me; the Prime Minister has not been convincing enough.  If Andy Coulson is charged by police, it puts David Cameron in a very difficult and stressful position.

     Ultimately, one of the main losers will be those studying journalism at colleges and universities.  The Press Complaints Commission code needs a total rework and the new restrictions and ratifications that will come into force will just make the job for journalists even tougher.  Fewer jobs will be around and if any budding journalism student had commonsense, don’t work for Rupert Murdoch!  He doesn’t care about people’s feelings; he’s only after money and that’s all he’s ever thought about.  So, he is the male version of Janine Malloy from EastEnders then!

     It has been a sad and damaging week for the British press industry.  The phone hacking scandal has dragged the reputation of many names in media through the mud and there are many losers in this.  The story won’t go away and is going to drag on for the rest of the year, especially with enquiries and investigations likely to continue.  If News International can ditch a newspaper and think it will solve the problems, they are seriously mistaken!

One more message; RESIGN REBEKAH! YOU’RE A DISGRACE! 

Pension strike action take place

THOUSANDS of people went on strike yesterday against the coalition government’s controversial public sector reforms over work pensions.  It might not be the end of the industrial action either, with the unions warning of further action if the government don’t back down on their policies.

UNITED: Strike action and peaceful protests were the order of the day

     Yesterday, thousands of schools were shut across England and Wales, with passport control at airports, courts and driving test centres also being significantly affected.  Earlier in the week, around 750,000 people were thought to be striking, with the figure thought to be much lower on the actual day.  600,000 is the estimated amount, with some 20,000 disgruntled workers protesting in the streets of London.  Despite this, the unions insist that it was a success in the biggest day of strike action taken in Britain for five years.

     The other pleasing significance was that in towns and cities across the country, the protests were in good spirit.  Although a small minority of people were arrested in London and Brighton for criminal damage and harming the peace, it was good to see peaceful protests, which sadly didn’t happen with the angry demonstrations following the rise in tuition fees in November and December.  However, the unions will be annoyed by Downing Street’s admission that the disruption of these strikes was ‘minimal.’

     Both have sides to this argument.  The government pointed out to statistics released from the Cabinet Office, which suggested that not even 20 per cent of the civil service workforce went on strike.  In return, the PCS Union, which runs the police and border/immigration department, said that 84 per cent of its staff went onto the picket lines, with the Metropolitan Police being forced to draft people in from other areas.

     Prime Minister David Cameron has described the strikes as ‘wrong,’ and the leader of the opposition, Ed Miliband is in agreement over this.  However, Miliband has accused the government of ‘wreckless behaviour,’ which led to a fiery showdown between the pair in Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday morning.  Brendan Barber, General Secretary of the TUC told Sky News that he hoped this sort of action doesn’t have to happen again;

“I’m a firm believer of negotiations and as I’ve said, I hope we’re going to be able to resolve this through negotiations – without the need for further industrial action.”

     It was schools, who were significantly affected by the walkouts yesterday, with nearly 5,000 schools partially closed and another 5,069 totally shut in England.  Three teaching unions staged strike action, which left Education Secretary Michael Gove unimpressed.  He said at the House of Commons that the planned walkout was “unnecessary, premature and disruptive.  This strike, at this time, will not help out schools.”

     It is difficult to judge if there were any winners, if there were any yesterday.  However, don’t be surprised if there’s more action to come and for more disruption, as this is an issue for the government that simply isn’t going to go away.

AV vote is rejected by UK

CRUSHING: A resounding victory for the 'No' campaign

ALTHOUGH counting has not concluded yet, the Liberal Democrats miserable 24 hours at the polls has just been finished off resoundingly.  Britain has decided to reject the ‘Yes to AV’ voting policy, which would have seen the Alternative Vote scheme, where voters would rank their politicians to vote for in order of preference.  Instead, we have decided to stick to the tried and tested formula of ‘First Past the Post.’  By just putting a simple x on the ballot papers, the country has decided to keep the simple policy at this referendum, and it is a crushing victory too.

LOOKING OVER: Clegg will be under pressure after this battering

    With 386 results declared in the 440 councils across England and Wales already, the ‘No’ campaign has already taken over 360 regions, with the ‘Yes’ campaign still staggeringly in single figures.  This is going to be a hammer blow to the Liberal Democrats leader Nick Clegg, who is already under pressure and will surely feel the full force at the next annual party conference in Liverpool in September.  This adds to total rejection in the council elections across the country, which saw a number of Lib Dems MP’s lose council seats, in which the party has had strangleholds on for the last decade, particularly in the North of the country such as Liverpool, Manchester and Clegg’s own constituency of Sheffield.

    Around 18.6million people voted in this referendum, but the percentage turnout of 41% (excluding Northern Ireland) is disappointing.  This hints that either people couldn’t care less about the referendum, or the feelings towards the coalition government in general are really starting to hit home, just under a year after its formation in Downing Street. 

    The crushing rejection by the British voters is a blow to the Lib Dems, who although feared a backlash, surely can’t have predicted such a grim response to one of their key pledges in their manifesto.  Danny Alexander, a Cabinet minister for the Liberal Democrats told Sky News of his thoughts;

“It is disappointing that people have chosen to vote the way they have.  I think there is a whole number of reasons for that, but I think the most important thing is to accept with good grace the verdict of the people and say 'That's that'."

This follows a harrowing night for the party, following their worst council elections results since the 1980s.  This morning, Clegg spoke to reporters outside his home and remained defiant, although he admitted it is ‘a kicking’ in which his party took.  It seems like the brunt of the blame has gone with Clegg and the Liberal Democrats within the coalition, especially with the controversial spending cuts, and the change in heart over a rise in tuition fees.  The battering of the Liberal Democrats means that Conservative support stuck relatively at the same.  The results will be of some relief to David Cameron, which suggests that the public don’t seem to mind his side of the coalition.  There were some encouraging results for Labour too, although they missed out narrowly on forming a majority government in the Welsh Assembly by a single vote.  Ed Miliband will be modestly satisfied with the results last night, especially as it was a test for him, considering the unpopularity he seems to hold from several political experts.

    Both Cameron and Clegg have insisted that the coalition will survive the referendum results, although things did turn very bitter in the ‘AV’ campaign, and definitely showed some cracks that simply weren’t there before.  What is clear is that the British public have spoken and made their decisions.  It is crystal clear that the Liberal Democrats are not the flavour of the month with anyone in Britain at the moment.

Osama Bin Laden is dead

ONE of the biggest mass murderers in history, Osama Bin Laden is dead.  He was shot dead in the town of Abbottabad, around 50 miles away from the capital of Pakistan, Islamabad in the early hours of this morning.  Bin Laden has finally been captured after a decade of search from US troops.  This followed the event that changed everyone’s lives.

     Bin Laden and Al-Qaeda planned a terrorist attack to such detailed plan that it was going to have deadly results.  On Tuesday September 11, 2001, planes were hijacked and flew into some of America’s landmark buildings in New York.  Both towers of the World Trade Centre collapsed with hundreds trapped inside the burning buildings.  The casualties on this day were horrendous and the War on Terror began.

     Bin Laden wasn’t a stranger to the terrorist network.  US embassies had been bombed in Kenya and Tanzania in 1998.  However, it was the events of 9/11 that put him into global context as the world’s most wanted man.  Within months, America, with Britain’s help went into Afghanistan and they began air strikes to get their man.  However, George Bush would never seek his prize and it has taken a decade before the news of his demise could be broken this morning by his replacement Barack Obama.

     With backing from the Taliban, Bin Laden set-up training camps and hence, many extremist groups have been created since.  With Bin Laden’s death, it might be a massive setback on Al-Qaeda that their figurehead is no longer around, but the War on Terror will still go on and there is likely to be a backlash on his death from Al-Qaeda.  This morning, Foreign Office leader William Hague has insisted that British embassies across the world review their security policies in a heightened alert of a possible attack.  Currently, Britain, like America – remains at the second highest terrorist threat level possible, not at the critical mark yet.  US officials have said that after being shot in the head, Bin Laden's body was buried at sea, according to Islamic traditions.  Three other men, including one of Bin Laden’s sons were also killed in the mission.  The whole operation took approximately 40 minutes to complete.

     There might be now some justice for the families who have lost their lives in terrorist atrocities; not just those in America, but those killed in Bali (2002), Istanbul (2003), Madrid (2004) and London (2005). 

     There is no doubt that the world is still nowhere near a safe place.  In fact, everyone still has to totally remain vigilant, especially as risks may well rise in the US and the UK in the coming weeks.  However, there can be no doubt that Osama Bin Laden’s death is a historical news moment and the biggest news story of 2011.  The War on Terror goes on and will for generations to come, but this is a victory for the West and in particular for Barack Obama, who now will get high praise for keeping all this quiet and earn a second term in office as American President.  The world’s most wanted-man has finally been taken out of the picture for good and for the families, some form of justice has now been done, even though it won’t bring their loved ones back.

WORLDWIDE REACTION TO BIN LADEN’S DEATH

George W. Bush (Former American President) – “The fight against terror goes on, but tonight America has sent an unmistakeable message: No matter how long it takes, justice will be done.”

David Cameron (Prime Minister) – “It is time to thank those who work around the clock to keep us safe from terrorism.  Their work will continue.  I would like to congratulate Barack Obama and those responsible for carrying out this operation.”

Tony Blair (Former Prime Minister) – “This is a huge achievement in the fight against terrorism, but we know the fight against terrorism and the ideology that Bin Laden represents, continues and is as urgent as ever.”

William Hague (Foreign Secretary) – “It is unequivocally a good thing that he is no longer able to pursue terror, murder and mayhem in the world.”

Angela Merkel (German Chancellor) – “Bin Laden was a symbol for the international terror that did not respect life, only killed and only destroyed.  His death is good news.”

The Royal wedding - A perfect day

BILLIONS watched on TV across the globe, millions celebrated in London and around the UK and two kisses on the world’s most famous balcony.  The Royal Wedding was an amazing day, with a beautiful mix of tradition and modernity.

    Tonight, Prince William and Kate Middleton, now known officially as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will be attending a party hosted by Prince Charles at Buckingham Palace.  It completes a day that will be looked back on as a truly perfect day for the nations new Prince and Princess.  Prime Minister David Cameron described it afterwards as a day that ‘Britain was at its best.’  He was most definitely right.

    The ceremony itself at the historic Westminster Abbey was a grand occasion.  William and his best man, Prince Harry arrived at 10am, 90 minutes after the doors opened to the many hundreds of guests invited to the wedding of the century.  They included Prince Albert of Monaco, the Australian Prime Minister and many leaders from the Commonwealth.  David Beckham, Sir Elton John, amateur jockey Sam-Wahey Cohen and former Prime Minister John Major were amongst the celebrities in attendance, as were current political figureheads Cameron, Nick Clegg, George Osbourne and the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson.  Former leaders Tony Blair and Gordon Brown were surprisingly not included on the guest list however.  Also in attendance were close friends of the happy couple. 

BEAUTIFUL: Kate heads into the Abbey in her stunning dress

    An hour after Prince William arrived, Kate Middleton turned up in the back of a black car.  The blushing bride was escorted to the aisle by her proud father, Michael.  After huge anticipation and weeks of speculation, the wedding dress was simply spectacular.  Designed by Sarah Burton; the successor to the late, great fashion designer Alexander McQueen, it was a dress that bought back memories of Grace Kelly’s dress on her wedding day to Prince Rainier of Monaco in 1956.  The thin veil could see every single delightful expression of Kate.  Choosing Burton as her designer for the big day will also be a big boost to the British Fashion Industry.  It also celebrated the legacy of Alexander McQueen – who was a legend in his fashion showcases until his death last February.  The dress was well-executed and there can be no doubt that it was made fit to look like and be worn by a Princess.

    The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. Rowan Williams produced the service impeccably, to the happy couple.  They looked very relaxed throughout, although the way William did struggle to get the ring on Kate’s middle finger did suggest the understandable and traditional nerves.  There was no stuttering on the vows, unlike when Princess Diana married Prince Charles in 1981.  The whole service was simply perfect, with a highlight being when ‘Jerusalem’ belted out in the church.

     An hour later and ‘Crown Imperial’ played out as the couple returned from signing the registers in the private residence of St. Edward’s Chapel in the Abbey.  There was a clear seal of approval from the expectant crowd outside, as it managed to deafen out the loud chiming Westminster Bells.  They may have arrived in cars, but the trip back to Buckingham Palace was via the traditional transport in these occasions of horse and carriage.  There were an estimated 1 million people on the processional route from the Abbey to the Palace.  This was followed by some official photographs, lunch for 600 people courtesy of the Queen and then the traditional balcony appearance infront of the crowd outside The Mall.  The crowd got their wish as William and Kate kissed for the millions of people and the worldwide media.  If that wasn’t enough, they kissed again shortly afterwards in a fairytale moment. 

TREAT: The happy couple head back to Clarence House

     The final treat for the crowd was a real surprise, as William and Kate pulled out of the Palace gates after lunch.  William driving Prince Charles Aston Martin with ‘JUST WED’ on the license plate and an ‘L’ plate on the front of the car back to Clarence House for some brief respite this afternoon.  It was specially decorated by Prince Harry and other close members of the Royal Family.

     This was the day when a broad smile appeared on the nation and that is down to William and Kate.  They have given us the opportunity to share their happiness and with the scenes seen today, there seems to be clear genuine affection for the new Royal couple.  The weather was good as well and improved as the day went on, despite the initial forecasted showers.  As soon as the champagne began flowing on The Mall at 8am this morning, the party begun and it will continue long into the night and probably, throughout this extended Bank Holiday weekend.  All the doom and gloom of worldwide economic uncertainty, death in Afghanistan, conflicts in Libya and Syria and natural disasters that have devastated Brazil, New Zealand, Australia and Japan this year, it was so nice and fitting to see something jolly today.  The world watched this global event, with celebrations ranging from Australia and Paris, to Shanghai and Russian and American astronauts toasting their success on the International Space Station.  With an estimated TV audience of 2 billion worldwide, it is likely to be the biggest audience in TV history with only the 1966 World Cup final and the funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales in 1997 likely to rival that in the British audience stakes.  400 million are believed to have watched it live on YouTube!

CELEBRATION: Kate' hometown of Bucklebury salute their girl

    Across the country, there were thousands of parties held in celebration for the Royal Wedding.  Many streets closed on this national day of celebration.  The happiest places include St. Andrews University in Scotland, where William and Kate met as University students a decade ago and in Bucklebury – the hometown where Kate grew up.  Before today, Chris Tarrant was their only claim to fame.  Now they have the new Princess to take that mantelpiece.  William and Kate have travelled a long road since meeting at University, which has included a trying separation four years ago.  However, they now live together in Anglesey in Wales and although recent Royal marriages haven’t been very successful, there is real optimism that this is a marriage that will go the distance.  

     This was the perfect day and a special day that all of us will remember for generations to come.  Congratulations to William and Kate and thank you for giving us such a unique moment, I wish you a very happy, prosperous and successful future together.  

The AV vote - Making the right call

NEXT week, Britain goes to the polls again.  This time, it could well decide how the country votes in future elections.  Thanks to Nick Clegg and his failing party – we have to decide whether we want to keep the current voting system, or go for the ridiculous idea of numbering party candidates by first choice, second choice and so on.  Are you confused by the AV system, do you even care?  I don’t think people do to be honest, but all the same – it gives me the chance to express my thoughts on such a crucial system.

LISTENING: Cameron looks on as Reid gives his reasons

     Last week was a funny one, to see political rebels on the same platform as one another, promoting their views on AV.  Prime Minister David Cameron shared a stage with former Labour Home Secretary John Reid.  When Cameron said; ‘There aren’t many things me and John agree on,’ can you imagine what must have been going through Reid’s head.  Talk about stating the bloody obvious!  Cameron, Reid and the BNP leader, Nick Griffin are in the ‘No to AV’ camp.  I must admit – I’m in the same camp.  Yes, you heard it here first – I actually agree with something that Nick Griffin says and that makes me feel dirty inside!

     The current voting system works fine.  Okay, it doesn’t favour minority parties such as UKIP, the BNP, Green Party and others and it would mean another century of either ‘hung parliaments,’ or Conservative and Labour majority governments.  However, what’s so bad about that and I think, after the Liberal Democrats dramatic fall from grace in the past twelve months, many feel its bad enough they are part of a coalition at the moment, let alone if they governed the country solely.

     This referendum on the voting system was agreed in the coalition package last May, and was one of Nick Clegg’s critical reforms in his party manifesto.  So, he stuck to one of his pledges in pushing for something.  Such a shame he didn’t think the same way, when it came to tuition fees.  Students always saw the Liberal Democrats as their ‘natural’ party.  They were the only party that seemed interested in making higher education and University tuition fees a thing of the past.  Labour introduced them and the Tories were only interested in raising them.  So, when Clegg and current Business Secretary Vince Cable had their chance to rebel their point, they blew it and lost a load of staunch supporters.  Clegg doesn’t seem to regret it, but he should.  Last year, the Lib Dems were the crème of the crop and could have forged a major surprise in the General Election.  Fast-forward twelve months and the party has been battered at numerous by-elections, looks set to be thrashed at next week’s local and council elections and isn’t very liked within society.  Maybe ‘Yes to AV’ is a fairer voting system – but is it necessary?  Politics might be in a complete mess nowadays, but I think it would be in a worse state should ‘Yes to AV’ be passed. 

UNPOPULAR: Ed Miliband will do well to turn around his fortunes

     Plus, if you didn’t need any more convincing about the ‘Yes to AV’ being the wrong idea, Clegg’s biggest supporter is the Labour leader Ed Miliband.  Ed Miliband seems to be about as popular as a micro chip!  His party doesn’t seem to like him already and let’s be honest – what has he done since he was elected leader of the opposition last September, absolutely nothing!  If Miliband ever got into Downing Street, the consequences could be unimaginable.  What were the Trade Unions thinking when they backed Ed over David in the leadership contest last autumn!  David Miliband would have given Labour a more positive future, after the backwards steps it took in Gordon Brown’s later days.  In Ed Miliband, they have the wrong man in the job, when Labour could make big steps forward – especially when the coalition’s popularity is not very high in society.  Miliband backing Clegg doesn’t surprise me and it convinces me enough that ‘Yes to AV’ is the wrong way to go.

     In summary, the AV vote is not the most exciting thing to have ever gripped the country, but it is still valuable, especially with future elections in the balance on what happens at the ballot box next Thursday.  Whatever the nation ends up deciding, it will and with good grace.  I just hope you use your vote wisely and think of the possible outcomes before making your mind up.